Empty Weight of Thunderbird/Climb performance

[ilikeatrike]

Are there any T-Bird pilots out there flying the MKII on the highvelt?
What are the empty weights of your planes,what climb performance do you get at Gross Weight?What altitudes can you cruise at @ gross weight.

Thinking of buying one,had test flight at crosswinds,but would like to hear from u pilots out there i.r.o the above.Thanks.

[Bennie Vorster]

Go see

http://www.tde.co.za/
and

http://microlighters.co.za/viewtopic.php?t=1740

[Sonex711]

Are there any T-Bird pilots out there flying the MKII on the highvelt?
What are the empty weights of your planes,what climb performance do you get at Gross Weight?What altitudes can you cruise at @ gross weight.

My MkII is 203kg at last weight and balance. Nothing much has changed since then, so it will still be within 1kg of that...

I have the old "grey top" 582, and a slightly different wing than the standard one. Other guys tend to out climb me slightly.

My climb figures (based on experience but I don't have actual figures in front of me)...

On a typical summers day, QNH usually around 1020, I probably get around 200 fpm at mauw.
However, on a winter's morning, I get around 450 fpm at mauw.

Hope that helps.

ps: forgot altitude...
I've never felt I'm hitting a cruise ceiling when flying, but then I've never really tried to cruise high. The t-bird is a great plane for 1000-1500' agl flying. If you want to climb to 10k' and cruise long distance, you may be better off with a platic aerie...

[IFLYHI]

For some reason mine is 220 kg per weight and balance.
Here with QNH 1020 get about 300 fpm. QNH 1025 = 500fpm.
Last week in the Berg at 10 000' she was still climbing at 300 fpm :D this was one up thought.
To answer a earlier question last weeks trip cost me about 16 l/hr but I was always one up with about 10kg baggage and full fuel