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Legal Eagle
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Date:  10-16-2019
Number of Hours:  3.00
Manual Reference:  
Brief Description:  Weight on the scales

We do not have Part 103 here in Australia so are not bound by the 254Lb max empty weight.
If it flies here you have to be licensed to fly it.
My Legal Eagle weighs in at 280lbs or 127kgs
The balance is at 28.5% chord which is in the middle of the 22% - 33% design range and is exactly where I wanted it as by all accounts the LE takes off, flies and lands well when about here.
There has been much discussion about whether a LE can be built to come in at 254Lbs and I believe this can absolutely be achieved. My LE is 26Lbs over and felt I did a reasonable job of focusing on weight savings right through the build right down to the use of aluminum washers and light weight all metal locking nuts instead of the nylon ones, but here is a list of where I think further weight could have been saved from mine.

8lb - Build an aluminum fuel tank instead of my 2 x roto-molded Team Minimax ones .......5lb vs 13lb
3lb - Remove Altimeter
1lb - Remove oil catch can from engine bay
4lb - Build with no brakes (calipers, rotors, cables, levers, steel mounts on gear legs)
1lb - Fabric instead of aluminum side panels
4lb - No suspension (was surprisingly heavy when I held in my hand)
1lb - My tail spring is a beefy piece of aluminum. Could build lighter.
1lb - Run cable to the tailwheel arms instead of chain and springs
2lb - Black paint on leading edges
4lb - 2 pac fuselage paint (could just use a rattle can)

There is no doubt more ways to save weight that I have listed here.

This list totals 29lb and whilst some of the numbers are very close estimates it certainly demonstrates that the Legal Eagle can be built under 254lb.
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Setting up

Setting up

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