Check out what you can do with the tail lift!

[Desert Rat]

I did my weight and balance today and this made it a snap. At least on my setup, the tire hangs down below the trolly far enough that you can just lower it onto the scale and there's room for the trolly to "hover" without touching either the scale or the tire.

 

[scsmith]

It looks like to start, you made some kind of platform that is the correct height for the scale to rest on so that the fuselage is level. Of course that would typically have to be done anyway. The difference here is designing the platform so that there is access for the tail lift to get in and around it.
Nice set up.

 

[Desert Rat]

It looks like to start, you made some kind of platform that is the correct height for the scale to rest on so that the fuselage is level. Of course that would typically have to be done anyway. The difference here is designing the platform so that there is access for the tail lift to get in and around it.
Nice set up.

Yeah- Basically I lifted the tail up to level and measured the distance to the ground. Then I Just built a simple sturdy bench with enough clearance that once the tail was raised I could slide it under the stinger and then aft so it was straddling the outrigger legs of the tail lift. The base of the bench needs an opening of about 24" wide to clear the legs of the tail lift and any cross bracing needs to be about 6" up on that side for the same reason. Blocked it up a bit more with some 1x4 scraps on top, done.

 

[oaklandaviator]

Or you can just weigh it with the tail down and get the total weight, then lift it up with your tail lifter to level and get the new weight from the mains that are still on the two front scales. The difference between the two numbers is your tail weight. No specific height, scale holding table required.

 

[Desert Rat]

Or you can just weigh it with the tail down and get the total weight, then lift it up with your tail lifter to level and get the new weight from the mains that are still on the two front scales. The difference between the two numbers is your tail weight. No specific height, scale holding table required.

I had to think through this for a bit. Just for clarity, in case somebody is reading this in the future, if you're saying that the tail level weight on the mains should be used as the final number for them, and the difference in the before and after weight of the mains should be subtracted from your ground position tail weight to find the level weight for it, then yeah. makes perfect sense.

 

[oaklandaviator]

I had to think through this for a bit. Just for clarity, in case somebody is reading this in the future, if you're saying that the tail level weight on the mains should be used as the final number for them, and the difference in the before and after weight of the mains should be subtracted from your ground position tail weight to find the level weight for it, then yeah. makes perfect sense.

Yep. That’s it.

 

[drill_and_buck]

Or you can just weigh it with the tail down and get the total weight, then lift it up with your tail lifter to level and get the new weight from the mains that are still on the two front scales. The difference between the two numbers is your tail weight. No specific height, scale holding table required.

Brilliant observation!