Scales.

Stewartb

Final Approach
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Nov 21, 2014
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Wasilla, AK
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stewartb
Anyone have a brand or model of scales you like for $1k or less? I’m not concerned with the FAA stamp of approval, just that they’re good and accurate.
 
For light aircraft, I have occasionally wondered if one could use only one scale - weighing each wheel at a time...even raising the ones with no scale, by the thickness of the scale (would that even be necessary)
 
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For light aircraft, I have occasionally wondered if one could use only one scale - weighing each wheel at a time...even raising the ones with no scale, by the thickness of the scale (would that even be necessary)
Yes. The airframe designer will usually provide guidance on how to level the airplane for W/B. If you can get the airplane to that attitude with one wheel on the scales, the scale will give you the weight for that wheel. Then repeat the process 2 more times and you have the data you need to perform the full w/b.

Getting the airplane to the right pitch attitude - or whatever the manufacturer calls level is a key. A friend didn't bother to read the "how to" notes when he weighed his RV-14 and got a very disappointing (aft) CG. Basically one that would have precluded carrying baggage. Since his airplane is configured identically to most of the other RV-14's, I smelled a rat and had him walk me through exactly how he'd weighted it. "I just rolled it up on the ramps and...". OK, go read the manual and do it the way they specify and voila - W/B as expected.
 
I have longacre scales from racing. No idea what they model they are.
 
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