Do I have the 17# Ballast?

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waynemcc999
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Do I have the 17# Ballast?

Post by waynemcc999 »

Hi, all,
I'm a 2008 DA40 XLS serial 40.922 with the 3-bladed MT composite prop and 50 gallon tanks... and also in the queue for the FA Supercharger. How do I know if my aircraft has the 17 pound ballast up front? If so, can I assume that the supercharger STC allows me to have the ballast removed at the same time the supercharger is installed?
Thanks for any and all insight,
Wayne
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Rich
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Re: Do have the 17# Ballast?

Post by Rich »

From what I see on the wiki, the nose ballast was not widely installed in those years. Does anyone have a picture of what this ballast looks like installed?
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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Ian Sage
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Re: Do I have the 17# Ballast?

Post by Ian Sage »

waynemcc999 wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 3:00 pm . . . How do I know if my aircraft has the 17 pound ballast up front? . . .
We have not seen them in person yet, but as I understand it they are lead weights bolted directly to the front of the engine. Just behind the prop on either side are two pads with unused bolt holes. This is where the lead ballast would be located and I am told we can't miss it since it is that pad on the pilot's side where the supercharger mount is bolted on.
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Don
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Re: Do I have the 17# Ballast?

Post by Don »

When I purchased my 2010 XLS from the factory, (with special order 40 gallon tanks) I also requested for factory not to include the 17 pound nose ballast. When they delivered the plane I was surprised to find they still shipped the Ballast to me all boxed up in the back luggage compartment. That same box is now in my hanger and has never been opened. I expect to be in my hanger in the next few days. If no one post a photo in the meantime, I will open it and take a few cell phone shots for you.
Last edited by Don on Wed Jun 05, 2019 5:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Rich
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Re: Do I have the 17# Ballast?

Post by Rich »

As far as I know the ballast is optional in any case. I see a number of 50-gallon MT-propped DA40's on the wiki without it. The difference in CG runs about .6 in.
1. If you currently have it (removing the ballast) and get the FAT the CG and empty weight will scarcely change at all.
2. If you do not have the ballast and get the FAT, you'll lose that much useful load BUT probably gain the not-trivial .6 in. improvement in CG.
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Rich
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Re: Do I have the 17# Ballast?

Post by Rich »

Incidentally, since I've been playing "what-if" I found that each of these 3 changes has roughly the same effect on CG, to wit, about .5-.6 in. forward movement:

1. Installation of the FAT STC.
2. Installation of the nose ballast.
3. Replacement of an MT (or Hartzell Composite) with a Hartzell Aluminum.

Any one of these changes would put my plane (a fairly rare example) so far nose-heavy I couldn't fly it solo. But a different story for others, especially you 50-gallon-version owners.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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Re: Do I have the 17# Ballast?

Post by BRS »

@rich
Rich, am I correct that you have the steam-gauges? Big difference from the G1000 models, much further forward CG.
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Rich
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Re: Do I have the 17# Ballast?

Post by Rich »

BRS wrote: Thu Jun 06, 2019 3:58 am @rich
Rich, am I correct that you have the steam-gauges? Big difference from the G1000 models, much further forward CG.
You are correct. A definite minority among the DA40s. We could almost be called a subspecies :D
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Re: Do I have the 17# Ballast?

Post by astaib »

Lol Rich
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Re: Do I have the 17# Ballast?

Post by Antoine »

waynemcc999 wrote: Wed Jun 05, 2019 3:00 pm Hi, all,
I'm a 2008 DA40 XLS
Just love it! :D
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