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I asked Charlie Kohler about his 3400 max gross weight number. He emailed me
and said:

"Beautiful thing about the experimental category. You can name your own Max
Gross weight.
I would suggest that you follow the manufacturer's recommendation, however
if there are circumstances in which you have made certain modifications
(such as installing extended fuel tanks//winglets etc. etc.), then you may
want to increase the maximum Gross weight based upon fuel being in the wing.
The initial Gross weight and was established at 2800 pounds, was then later
increased to 3200. This was an arbitrary change, this  was not due to an
increase in structural strength of the wing/fuslage.
You will notice there is not much emphasis placed on "Normal, Utility and
Aerobatic- G Loading"  in the manual because it really doesn't exist as
limits for an experimental aircraft.
DAR's and ASI's would check the reasonableness of the figures.
Charlie K."

What's Zero Fuel Weight ?

>From AC 23-10
AUXILIARY FUEL SYSTEMS FOR RECIPROCATING AND TURBINE POWERED PART 23
AIRPLANES

Zero/Fuel Weight. Typically, civil airplanes are designed to carry fuel in
the wings. In addition to any other advantages, locating the fuel in the
wings relieves wing bending stresses and allows a higher maximum weight than
would be possible with the same quantity of fuel located within the
fuselage. For such airplanes, zero fuel weight is established as a limit to
ensure that maximum wing bending stresses are not exceeded by replacing fuel
in the wings with an equal weight of payload carried in the fuselage. When
an auxiliary fuel tank is installed within the fuselage, the existing zero
fuel weight limit is no longer directly applicable because the fuel
contained in that tank does not relieve wing bending stresses. It is,
therefore, necessary to reduce the zero fuel weight limit by the maximum
usable fuel capacity of the auxiliary tank. Alternatively, the zero fuel
weight limit may be redefined as the maximum zero wing fuel weight limit.
Any fuel contained in the auxiliary tank would then be treated as payload
from a weight and balance standpoint. Regardless of which procedure is used,
the AFM must clearly state the limit and its meaning.

Ted Stanley - A&P-IA - IV kit on order

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