hocpoc

I'm a bit confused. Ihave a Four Star 40 that Irecently got back in the air. Before flying Iused my GP balancer. I balanced it per the plans leaving it a bit nose heavy. Ishould add I had to add a few ounces of lead weight to the tail because it was orginally very nose heavy. Anyway, I flew today and it was super "touchy" and seemed unstable compared to when I flew it last year. So Ibrought it down and took the weights off the tail, and it then it flew fine...but it's way nose heavy. What's up with that? Thanks in advance....

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

The balance point shown on plans is just a good starting point.  It's like salt, adjust until you like the way it flys.

On an airplane that has been inactive for a while, how did you store it?  I have seen oil from the nose of the airplane slowly make it's way to the tail when the fuselage was hung nose up. 

ChuckW

You say you recently got it back in the air. did you make any repairs or changes such as the engine or something? Move any eadio equipment around? Different spinner or prop?

I'd check the balance with your fingers right on the top spar with the plane upside down.

Campgems

If it flys OK the way it is not, and you can hold inverted flight with out much push on the elevator, it's just about right.  One of the pattern guys showed me to put it into a 45 degree climb and the do a roll with out touching anything else.  If it falls off badly when it goes inverted, it is nose heavy, if it climbs more when it gets inverted, it is tail heavy.  Minor adjustments from above to hit it right.  I'm not that good of a flyer, so just poking holes in the sky lets me stop after the first part of the balance. 

Don

Connery

Good adise Don, I've used that method in the past as well, but had forgotten about it until Iread it in your post.

Thanks