R-pod Owners Forum : New to rPod http://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : Introduce Yourself : New to rPod Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Fri, 01 May 2026 21:32:57 +0000 Wed, 20 Jan 2021 12:51:30 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=14358 R-pod Owners Forum http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png http://www.rpod-owners.com/ New to rPod : Originally posted by offgrid Originally... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139592#139592 Author: GlueGuy
Subject: 14358
Posted: 20 Jan 2021 at 12:51pm

Originally posted by offgrid

Originally posted by GlueGuy


My Long-EZ would fall on its butt if you put the nose wheel down with no one sitting in it. A pilot needed to be > 110 lbs in order to stay inside the envelope.
The most extreme case of w&b I'd ever seen was a cowboy flyer I met in Northway Alaska. He was flying an all-black Cessna 210. He'd flown into Northway with all the seats (except the pilot seat) removed and three 55 gallon barrels strapped in the back. He was picking up diesel fuel for his dude ranch somewhere south of Northway. His explanation to me was that he filled the barrels until the nose wheel started to lift off the ground. He'd throw something into the one remaining seat to bring it down. As far as he was concerned, it would be "in balance" when he got in to fly. 


Yeah i’ve heard that about EZ’s. And unlike a conventional aircraft falling on its butt is a static prop strike not just a scratch on the rear tiedown hook.

Note to self: decline any offers to fly with cowboys in black Cessna 210’s. The black paint job would raise my eyebrows anyway. Not a great color choice to paint a civilian aircraft for legal usage IMHO. 

He was a character. Wore a black cowboy hat, black jeans, and black T-shirt with an inverted "crown cut" on the sleeves.

In his defense, the 210 was flat black.

]]> Wed, 20 Jan 2021 12:51:30 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139592#139592 New to rPod : Originally posted by GlueGuy My... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139585#139585 Author: offgrid
Subject: 14358
Posted: 20 Jan 2021 at 8:16am

Originally posted by GlueGuy


My Long-EZ would fall on its butt if you put the nose wheel down with no one sitting in it. A pilot needed to be > 110 lbs in order to stay inside the envelope.
The most extreme case of w&b I'd ever seen was a cowboy flyer I met in Northway Alaska. He was flying an all-black Cessna 210. He'd flown into Northway with all the seats (except the pilot seat) removed and three 55 gallon barrels strapped in the back. He was picking up diesel fuel for his dude ranch somewhere south of Northway. His explanation to me was that he filled the barrels until the nose wheel started to lift off the ground. He'd throw something into the one remaining seat to bring it down. As far as he was concerned, it would be "in balance" when he got in to fly. 


Yeah i’ve heard that about EZ’s. And unlike a conventional aircraft falling on its butt is a static prop strike not just a scratch on the rear tiedown hook.

Note to self: decline any offers to fly with cowboys in black Cessna 210’s. The black paint job would raise my eyebrows anyway. Not a great color choice to paint a civilian aircraft for legal usage IMHO. ]]> Wed, 20 Jan 2021 08:16:42 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139585#139585 New to rPod : +1. As jato suggests, you can... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139583#139583 Author: offgrid
Subject: 14358
Posted: 20 Jan 2021 at 8:01am

+1.

As jato suggests, you can also consider adding an extra battery and or propane tank on the tongue, especially if you plan on boondocking. Might be a better solution than giving up the nice comfy mattress.

You also have to take care not to overload the lightly designed rpod frame and axle. Rpods are not exactly designed to FAA normal category standards (+3.8g -1.5 g with a 50% safety factor). They are more like +2g -0g with no safety factor. It’s kinda difficult to get a trailer to experience negative g’s so that’s no problem, but the +2g’s is really marginal, there have been multiple failed axle incidents and one or two frame failures. Lots of posts here on those topics you can search for. ]]> Wed, 20 Jan 2021 08:01:32 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139583#139583 New to rPod : Never get complacent, listen... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139581#139581 Author: Ercoupe Flyer
Subject: 14358
Posted: 19 Jan 2021 at 9:57pm

Never get complacent, listen to the Loadmaster!]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2021 21:57:37 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139581#139581 New to rPod : W&B calculation indicates tat... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139580#139580 Author: Ercoupe Flyer
Subject: 14358
Posted: 19 Jan 2021 at 9:52pm

W&B calculation indicates tat the tongue weight is too close to the 10% limit if FW tank has 250# on on onboard. Culprit seems to be the heavy memory foam mattress.   Thanks for the alert!]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2021 21:52:11 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139580#139580 New to rPod : Originally posted by offgridI... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139571#139571 Author: jato
Subject: 14358
Posted: 19 Jan 2021 at 12:19pm

Originally posted by offgrid


I did a little informal survey a couple years ago and found that there have been several reported rpod sway events right around or just below the traditional 10% minimum tongue weight limitation. Since then I keep my tongue weight at 11% or higher. You are right to be concerned about water tank weight, in the case of my 179 moving a fresh tank full of water (outbound) to a gray tankful (inbound) changes the tongue weight by 3%, so depending on your tow vehicle’s max tongue weight spec it can be challenging to keep everything “in the envelope”, especially if you boon dock and lug water around.


We found that out when we picked up our 177 in March 2011 we were in the midst of a blinding snowstorm, had to be a good 8" + snow on US-2 In the UP of Michigan.  The TV was an '08 Explorer and the 4 hour trip was fortunately 'uneventful.'  A couple months later with a full FW tank (located behind the axle) we found that once we hit 35-40 mph we nearly lost control as the sway was scary bad.  At that point he headed home (10 miles away) a did our first mod - added a $50 Curt anti-sway bar, added a second 12v group size 24 deep cycle battery, and a second 20# propane cylinder on the a-frame)  Took care of that problem and still using it 10 years and 36,000+ miles later with no incidents.
]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2021 12:19:06 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139571#139571 New to rPod : Originally posted by offgridI... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139570#139570 Author: GlueGuy
Subject: 14358
Posted: 19 Jan 2021 at 12:16pm

Originally posted by offgrid

I once put two ladies in the rear seats of my Grumman tiger and it dropped on its tail before us larger front seaters could get in. That prompted me to recalc my w&b. We were in the cg envelope but not by a lot. The flight was uneventful so the math works.

My Long-EZ would fall on its butt if you put the nose wheel down with no one sitting in it. A pilot needed to be > 110 lbs in order to stay inside the envelope.

The most extreme case of w&b I'd ever seen was a cowboy flyer I met in Northway Alaska. He was flying an all-black Cessna 210. He'd flown into Northway with all the seats (except the pilot seat) removed and three 55 gallon barrels strapped in the back. He was picking up diesel fuel for his dude ranch somewhere south of Northway. His explanation to me was that he filled the barrels until the nose wheel started to lift off the ground. He'd throw something into the one remaining seat to bring it down. As far as he was concerned, it would be "in balance" when he got in to fly. 
]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2021 12:16:30 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139570#139570 New to rPod : I once put two ladies in the rear... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139566#139566 Author: offgrid
Subject: 14358
Posted: 19 Jan 2021 at 11:06am

I once put two ladies in the rear seats of my Grumman tiger and it dropped on its tail before us larger front seaters could get in. That prompted me to recalc my w&b. We were in the cg envelope but not by a lot. The flight was uneventful so the math works.

I did a little informal survey a couple years ago and found that there have been several reported rpod sway events right around or just below the traditional 10% minimum tongue weight limitation. Since then I keep my tongue weight at 11% or higher. You are right to be concerned about water tank weight, in the case of my 179 moving a fresh tank full of water (outbound) to a gray tankful (inbound) changes the tongue weight by 3%, so depending on your tow vehicle’s max tongue weight spec it can be challenging to keep everything “in the envelope”, especially if you boon dock and lug water around.]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2021 11:06:26 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139566#139566 New to rPod : If your r-pod turns into a tail-dragger,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139565#139565 Author: podwerkz
Subject: 14358
Posted: 19 Jan 2021 at 10:38am

If your r-pod turns into a tail-dragger, and you do a ground loop on take-off or landing, you won't like it!

Best to get the weight and balance where it needs to be before departure....
]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2021 10:38:41 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139565#139565 New to rPod : Great idea, thanks! I routinely... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139563#139563 Author: Ercoupe Flyer
Subject: 14358
Posted: 19 Jan 2021 at 9:36am

Great idea, thanks! I routinely do W&B calculations on a variety of aircraft..

Makes sense to do it on our 178. I am concerned that the prior owner added a heavy MEMORY FOAM mattress to the aft bed location.... adding the tank liquids appears to cause a dangerous aft CG! (I'm always been cautious in taildraggers).]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2021 09:36:39 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139563#139563 New to rPod : As a fellow pilot you might be... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139561#139561 Author: offgrid
Subject: 14358
Posted: 19 Jan 2021 at 7:36am

As a fellow pilot you might be interested in the work some of us have done on the weight and balance of our trailers. As rpods are very light trailers they can be pretty sensitive to getting out of their “w&b envelope”. You can use the forum advanced search function to find those posts if you’re interested.

Enjoy your rpod! ]]> Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:36:44 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139561#139561 New to rPod : Thanks... I hope to find the Red... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139557#139557 Author: Ercoupe Flyer
Subject: 14358
Posted: 18 Jan 2021 at 8:02pm

Thanks... I hope to find the Red button tomorrow. 👌]]> Mon, 18 Jan 2021 20:02:11 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139557#139557 New to rPod : Thanks, always grateful for help... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139556#139556 Author: Ercoupe Flyer
Subject: 14358
Posted: 18 Jan 2021 at 7:59pm

Thanks, always grateful for help from fellow pilots! I'll look for that red button....
]]> Mon, 18 Jan 2021 19:59:45 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139556#139556 New to rPod : Welcome. Great to have more pilots... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139537#139537 Author: offgrid
Subject: 14358
Posted: 18 Jan 2021 at 9:42am

Welcome. Great to have more pilots on the forum. I like the ‘coupe, wish I could get a hangar somewhere nearby. 👍]]> Mon, 18 Jan 2021 09:42:27 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139537#139537 New to rPod : this is not specific to the 178,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139524#139524 Author: Pod People
Subject: 14358
Posted: 17 Jan 2021 at 8:12pm

this is not specific to the 178, but MOST RPods have a small red push button located on the cover plate where the cable/antenna connection is located. This is the antenna booster switch and by pushing the button in, the light should come on and the antenna is now functional.  Usually, one must then do a channel search on the tv to find which channels are available in that area.
Note that the booster is powered by the 12volt power system and if left on it can draw down the battery if  you are not connected to shore power. Turn it off when not in use if not on shore power.
Use the "search" feature at the top of the page to see lots of discussion about the antenna and booster.
Welcome to the Forum
Vann
]]> Sun, 17 Jan 2021 20:12:10 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139524#139524 New to rPod : Bought an rPod 178 (2013) from... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139522#139522 Author: Ercoupe Flyer
Subject: 14358
Posted: 17 Jan 2021 at 6:19pm

Bought an rPod 178 (2013) from a friend. Good condition, but I can't find info about the TV antenna on the roof... any info will help!]]> Sun, 17 Jan 2021 18:19:17 +0000 http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14358&PID=139522#139522