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Comment by Richard T. Russ on May 15, 2010 at 19:13

Hello Sandro, Looking at your beautiful makes me wonder what your useful load is. I would appreciate hearing bask from you because i am concerned about the useful load of the Piper Sport that i ordered. Since our panel lookm similar, maybe my useful load will compare to yours.
Thanks,
Dick

Comment by Sandro Lumiella on May 17, 2010 at 8:50

Ciao Richard, Thank you....my plane empty is 395kg, but with parachute and AP etc....that my plane under experimental is we are looking to obtain from Swiss authority 630-650kg MTOW...ciao from Switzerland
sandro

Comment by Richard T. Russ on May 17, 2010 at 14:55

Thanks for the information. It's not what i wanted to hear. I was hoping you might have a better useful load. I'm having them remove the BRS system in mine so I can have a better useful load. If you are interested, I'll post what I finally end up with when we weigh the plane.
As slow as the plane will land (dirty) I feel the chute is just weight I don't need when I need to have luggage with my wife and I. I guess I need to go on a strict diet to have better useful load.
Dick

Comment by Kurt A. Schumacher on May 26, 2010 at 12:29

Richard,
We are not happy with the empty weight over here, too. Worth mentioning, the BRS is mandatory for all EASA Permit to Fly aircraft and can't be removed. With SC registered under homebuilt regulations with national PtF, the situation is different. One typical heavy item is the battery, replacing the cheepo Chinese motorcycle unit by a real aerospace unit (much more reliable, longer service time, and low- temperature cranking Amps) is feasible. Again, due to CoG issues, this cannot be done without a BRS typically.
-Kurt.

Comment by Richard T. Russ on May 26, 2010 at 17:31

Hello Kurt.
The useful load was very disturbing since I want the plane for pleasure trips with my wife and we have to have luggage (even minimal). With this in mind, I first cancelled my order for a new PIiper Sport. Then I found out that it could be removed (legally) after i became the owner. So prior to picking up the plane next week US Sport is removing the BRS system. That should give me somewhere between 33 and 40 pounds of additional useful load. I personally think that the BRS in a plane that will land as slow as the SportCruiser/PiperSport is just dumb. If I have to rely on a BRS system to save my tail, then I shouldn't be flying.To me we need the useful load in the terms of safety; not a parachute.With the BRS in the plane I could only take on 16 gallons of fuel and no luggage. Without it I can catrry 20 gallons of fue land approx: 20 pounds of luggage (I hope).

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