Equipment list and W&B

cgrab

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cgrab
Mike Busch had a recent article on a planes equipment list. Since my plane is going in for some new radios, I figured I would check mine out. Holy crap, the last one I could find was 1994 and included the Loran I never saw and other outdated items.

I spent the weekend going through the planes paperwork and logs and have created a list as Mike suggested. I'll go over my findings with my A&P/IA this week before it goes in the shop so I have a new baseline to work from. Six things have been removed since the last report and seven things have been added. Many of the entries say weigh change negligible but a little research shows they were more than one pound. It looks like just laziness.

We'll do this report and then another after the radios to be up to date.

I recommend everybody take a look at there W&B and equipment list.
 
Frankly, it wouldn't be a bad idea is to make a NEW equipment list based on exactly what you have and then reweigh the aircraft to get a new W&B baseline.

Oddly, I thought I'd find some glaring discrepency in my 50 year old aircraft that had nothing but "corrections" done over the years for many changes including installing an autopilot, removing an autopilot, countless STCs and radio changes... Oddly, it was within a few pounds of what I had when I reweighed it.

While you're at it, you should go over the TC and all the STCs for things you have NOW installed and make sure you have the proper paperwork on board. There's likely flight manual supplements and other documents that supplement the (horrendously awful mnemonic ARROW) requirements. For instance, I have a a half a dozen supplements (tail modification, tip tanks, engine monitor, autopilot, IFR GPS, MFD) to the (non-existant) flight manual. Some also require the pilot manual for the unit to be onboard as well.
 
Meh ....for the petulant types it might matter. For the rest of us 4-5 lb delta won’t make a hill of bean’s difference.

But I guess the exercise is a good learning experience.

If it bothers ya that much...after you get your list together have the plane weighed.
 
I recommend everybody take a look at there W&B and equipment list.
FYI: the W&B record and the Equipment List are actually part of the aircraft's Type Certificate. Most TCDS Note 1 reflect this.
 
FYI: the W&B record and the Equipment List are actually part of the aircraft's Type Certificate. Most TCDS Note 1 reflect this.
I think you mean they are mandated by the type certificate. They aren't part of the type certificate. Actually, in the Navion case, there is no mandate for "W&B" data. The TC calls out for the limitations book (which gives you the envelope graph) and the equipment list.
 
They aren't part of the type certificate.
Actually, in the Navion case, there is no mandate for "W&B" data.
Not quite. The empty weight/balance and equipment list is actually part of the type design (TC) and required before original certification. There are various guidance docs on this. As for the Navion, I don't know what your definition of "mandate" is but per A-782 or 2A1 a Navion requires this information to be onboard from day one to present and technically should be checked every annual inspection but that is hardly enforced.

TCDS A-782/2A1:
"NOTE 1. Current weight and balance report, including list of equipment included in certificated weight empty, and loading instructions when necessary, must be in each aircraft at the time of original certification and at all times thereafter (except in the case of air carrier operators having an approved weight control system).
 
What do your mechanics do for a living? Apparently it isn't professional aircraft maintenance!
 
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