Lateral Balancing Tips
 

what are some of the most popular ways to laterally balance an airplane?

Balancing
 

I made 2 stands - one with a 'V' at the top that the prop bolt goes into and one with an outside curve that goes under the tail and shim up one stand to level the plane, then I use finishing nails to balance the liter wing.

You can balance the wing separately but I don't really see a need for it. I balance it with everything on the plane that it's going to fly with except fuel. Just drive the finishing nail into the wing tip, hit with CA and put a small covering patch over the hole/s.

If I need allot of weight ( heaven forbid ) and the lite wingtip is solid balsa I hollow out a spot in the wingtip and fill it with OO Buck shot & epoxy until it balances and cover with a patch.

Re: Balancing
 

But remember, often you can take weight away from the heavy side, as easily as adding weight to the light side i.e., try hollowing out the heavy side first...often it isn't necessary to add weight, but to subtract weight, and if you can get away with it, it makes for a lighter airframe...and remember, the farther out from the fuse you can put the weight, if needed, the less weight you will need....

A lot of people ignore this step, but once you have a perfectly laterally balanced plane, you will never go back!!

wing weight
 

if it'a funfly plane I usually don't like to correct it. I try to keep the funfly planes light. if it's a little off i use aileron trim to work it out. If I have to add weight I rather add the weight closer to the fuse rather than further out becaus the further out the more likely to cause a tip stall.. at least on the slow flying funfly's.

Re: wing weight
 

By adding weight near the fuse is going to take allot more weight than if you do it at the tip.

An aircraft that is laterally balanced will have less chance of tip stalling than one that isn't.

They track better and perform aerobatics allot better, no falling off in a loop, etc.