ro347

My Feedback: (13)

I might be a bit tired and just over thinking this. I am trying to balance a plane. I cant seem to get it spot on. It will stay up on the balancer when it is leaning just a bit towards tail. Now is this telling me it is a little nose heavy? This is my 6th plane - yet for some reason im just not thinking straight. Thanks!~

Charlie P.

What model? I've never used a "balancer" and rely on the tried and true "finger-tips-on-masking-tape-at-the-prescribed-spots-in-from-the-leading-edge" method. Even with models up to 15 lbs, but on larger models I do attach pieces of cereal box cardboard around the finger spots so I don't put my fingers through the covering.

When you say "it is leaning just a bit towards the tail" do you mean the tail is low? That's tail heavy.

And remember you balance low wing models upside-down.

sean444

If you have the plane on the balancer at the recomended CG and the tail is sitting low then it would be tail heavy. Add weight to the nose ore move the battery forward (do this first) to get the plane to sit level.
Good luck
Sean

ro347

My Feedback: (13)

OK...seems simple...again i might be over thinking it all. When I hold the plane level and let go...it drops the nose. In order for it to stay on the balancer it has to lean towards the tail a bit. Its a Hanger 9 Showtime 50. Ive moved the battery back to get it to do this. If i move the battery forward to the recommended location...I cant get it to stay on the balancer unless the tail really sits low because it will try to drop the nose. I might just need some sleep and figure it out tomorrow.

n19htmare

My Feedback: (1)

The plane should be going on the balance at the same spot...what ever that might be as recommended by the manufacturer. You should not have to move the plane forward and backward for it to balance (i'm sure you know this). If the CG is 3.5" FOR EXAMPLE, put it there and see what happens. If the nose dips down (and the tail lifts), then it's nose heavy and there needs to be more weight in the back. If the tail dips down (and nose lifts) then it's tail heavy and more weight is needed up front.

Move around the battery to fix the problem. Adding weight is always the LAST resort.

Missileman

Here is how I do it.
Take the battery out of the plane. Put the wing on and set it on the balancer on the recomended CG. move the battery around on top of the plane until it balances, this is roughly where you want the battery mounted inside the plane.

ro347

My Feedback: (13)

Thanks all...Missleman..that makes it easier. Thanks

Osirisf16

Can you post a picture of your balancer with the plane on it, please?

opjose

Remember that some planes will not actually "BALANCE".

Instead they will tip forward or rearward at the balance point.

If this is the case, adjust the C.G. so that the plane seems to have NO PREFERENCE and will tip forward or backward equally.

If it always tips backwards ( towards the tail ) it is too tail heavy, etc.

carrellh

Since this is a mid-wing plane, opjose's point probably applies. I have an Uproar and it is very sensitive when balancing. The tiniest movement makes it fall forward or back. We moved the battery around until it falls forward more often than it falls back and it seems to be pretty good.

flyX

yeah ..you're thinking becuase it's all going to change when you add fuel .
and it'll continue to change as the fuel level changes during flight

just make sure it's not tail heavy when it's empty.

that's why you don't want to add wieght to the tail becuase of drastic CG shift when the
fuel level gets low.

Missileman

There is another way to balance a mid wing that is less sensitive than using a balancer on the wing.(my Showtime 90)
See my picture, the hole in the cross member that is glued in at the target CG has a blind nut so I can screw in a small eye hook, I hang the plane from that hook. The cockpit is balanced seperately by moving the pilot around so that is will not change the planes CG when installed.