Hi, I'm building what I believe is the first legal ultralight gyrocopter with a 4 stroke engine. I'm almost finished and I weighed it without the pod at 249 pounds no oil. It normally has about 7 pounds of oil for the HKS -700 engine so I need to know if oil is counted weight in a 4 stroke ultralight. I'm pretty sure it isn't in a 2 stroke ultralight. I can always put a chute on it, and I might if I need it in order to have a pod and windshield for cold weather flying. Thanks!
Can the engine run without oil? In not then oil needs to be added. It should be in a state to be flown when weighed. Not in an almost ready to fly state. The only thing you don't count is the fuel needed for said flight.Originally Posted by Jazzenjohn
Tony
That's cool! Numerous FAA pubs regarding wt. & bal specify empty wt. includes undrainable engine oil only. So no, I would not include the weight of full engine oil, unless there is something specific to Part 103 vehicles that says otherwise and I don't think there is.
I'm sorry, but I beg to differ. By FAA definition standard empty weight is predicated on zero usable fuel and all the other fluids (oil, hydraulics, etc..) FULL. Many W&B paperwork does count undrainable oil at the starting point but that's not definitive.
Last edited by FlyingRon; 06-09-2015 at 01:19 PM.
In 103-7 appendix 2 it calls out the dry empty weight in the calculation there, and I found this from FAA-8083-30_Ch04: Empty Weight: The empty weight of an aircraft includes all operating equipment that has a fixed location and is actually installed in the aircraft. It includes the weight of the airframe, powerplant, required equipment, optional or special equipment, fixed ballast, hydraulic fluid, and residual fuel and oil. Residual fuel and oil are the fluids that will not normally drain out because they are trapped in the fuel lines, oil lines, and tanks. They must be included in the aircraft’s empty weight.
You called it Marty. I can drain my oil bag, but I have to count the 15-20 ? ounces of oil in the engine sump because my motor mount stops me from being able to drain it, unless I modify it so I can drain it normally. I probably should do that anyway as it is a lot of old oil to leave in the engine at oil change time. Thanks for the quick reply!
Last edited by Jazzenjohn; 06-09-2015 at 01:39 PM.
Correct - THAT is the standard FAA definition for empty wt. I couldn't see it being any other way for your machine. I'll be watching for some pics and first flight info!!
This is the frame Marty, all welded Titanium.
Last edited by Jazzenjohn; 06-10-2015 at 06:03 AM.
Starting to hang stuff on it.
Mostly done, with the first tail, all aluminum, which was heavier than I wanted
This is how it is now with the third tail. The second was too flexible and would have needed bracing which would have cut back on the weight savings it provided.
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