Determining Max Payload
 

I'd like to use my LT-40 to test out some ideas I have for GPS tracking (altitude, heading, speed) and airborne camera systems. How can I determine the max safe take-off, handleing, and landing weights with full fuel? Obviously take off weight would be dependant on the length of the runway and any obsticals at the end of it. I'm thinking I'd probably be okay with 500g placed as close as possible to the CG?

Thanks

Peter

RE: Determining Max Payload
 

I watched a Telemaster 40 take off from grass with 2 very large water balloons attached to the wing... It took a while but it eventually lifted off and gained some altitude. I would bet you could just about throw a pound in that lt40 and still get off the ground ok.. Make sure you use a few extra rubber bands on the wings though :D

RE: Determining Max Payload
 

We have one member that flys a delta wing with a 40 size engine... puts a portable gps right over the CG and flys it all over the place. It records max speed, altitude, and so on. Hand launches it without a problem.

DS

RE: Determining Max Payload
 

I'm looking at an SDIO or Bluetooth GPS with an external antenna connected to my iPAQ PDA. This whole setup should be less than 250g. Plus a camera / tx downlink setup ~100g i think. If a an Telemaster 40 can lift a couple of water baloons, I should be fine with this.

Does anyone know any resources for airborne GPS systems? I know about the dataloggers, but I just want something to track alt, speed. position and save the track, doenst need to downlink it. I was thinking of finding a cheap garmin or magellen handheld, and stripping the guts out to perminatly install in the A/C. As long as they have the dataport, I can connect it to my computer to receive the data. I'd have the first LT-40 with USB ports!

RE: Determining Max Payload
 

500g would be about a pound. 250 would be a half pound, so you should be very safe with either of those two figures. Just make sure it doesn't shift the CG to an unflyable condition!