180 horse conversion questions

[zero.one.victor]

Wow, Buck, I'm impressed! That's really light, especially considering wow well equipped it is. Did you weigh the airplane, or is that weight calculated?
I figured out that I need to hang an real flat 80 inch prop on mine & turn it up to around 3200 rpm & we'll be about even!

Eric

[buchanan]

I’d like to say it was weighed but that would be a lie. I did weigh it just before I took out the back seat and installed the Atlee Dodge jump seats and the float kit. I didn’t have it level so my accuracy may not have been 100%. It weighed 1325 then so our calculated weight must be close. Oh, I forgot to add in my previous post that I added a Sportsman STOL kit last winter when I put in the Dodge jump seats and float kit. We are moving to AK this summer and 39B will be our main mode of transportation at least until I get my Glastar finished.

Buck

[mrpibb]

I think no one has asked the $64,000 question, Is there STC's for engine conversions on the ragwing? I thought the fuel system being of the 140 design on the ragwing didnt allow for such. Anyone know if this is true?

[zero.one.victor]

That's the same info I came up with,Vic. However, the 170 Book (or the SRAM Book, I forget which) has an article about a guy who hung a Cont IO-360 on a ragwing. Believe it was on a field approval.
I also saw a ragwing locally here a few years ago that had a Lycoming on the nose. I checked the FAA Registry, which listed the powerplant as an O-340 Lycoming. Another guy I know has a B with this engine, and the STC is known as the Doyn conversion. I have no idea what airplane the 340 was installed in from the factory, but supposedly they are not well supported re: parts. The 340 is listed as 170 horsepower. I imagine it's the same bore as the 360 & the same stroke as the 320, or vice versa?
Anyway, I wrote the registered owner of the ragwing a letter asking about the conversion -- STC'd, or what? -- explaining that I owned a ragwing also, yada yada yada. No response.

Eric

[mrpibb]

Being that the FAA has been less forthcoming with field approvals of the nature, I was hoping for a STC to hang a gray motor, be nice to hang a 0-360 lyc on the nose. I'm not a big fan of the cont I0360's had to work on to many of them, and parts for overhaul would probably cost more than the airplane, although then again have you priced out C145 cranks? It will scare you. It would be nice to hear from a 170 ragwing owner that has had converted his/her powerplant configuration.

[Watkinsnv]

Well I had the opportunity to weigh my 170 again. This time with a set of roll on electric just calibrated that day scales. I also measured the plane while it was up, I had forgot the last time and projected the datam anyway this is what I got. 1426 w/oil and unusable fuel L/H 650 R/H 634 @ 18” T/W 112 @ 251 EW CG 36.89 I Ran these numbers fwd and aft loading and while its heavier I’ll use them. Using a plumb bob and measuring the airplane while its level is the only way to get accurate measurements. Lance

[zero.one.victor]

Lance, I ran your numbers & came up with 1396# at 36.7" CG. Did you weigh dry & then add in the weight/arm of the oil & unusable fuel? I see your MLG & t/w arm as measured are considerably different from what you called out before. It really does pay to measure for yourself instead of using the dimensions someone else used in the past. Kinda makes ya wonder where they came up with those figures?

Eric

[Watkinsnv]

The oil was there the fuel I had to add in off the T/C. I also changed out the battery to a Concorde CB25RG XC, last night I painted the droop wing tips hub caps and prop tips dark green to match the cowling. Friday I ordered Aero Flash wing tip strobe lights to finsh off this round of modifications. One more STC for the Battery and a field approval for the strobe lights, that makes 5 STC,s and 4 field approvals. the first 3 field approvals have a number of items in the same catagories so lots of changes and add ons to the Del-Air conversion. Lance