1999 7GCAA grows weight question

[dickeyjs]

We have a recently acquired 1999 7GCAA. The AFM that's in the plane says the gross weight is 1650 as does the original W&B from when the airplane was new. But the ACA website says an Adventure has a GW of 1750 lbs. An Aviation Consumer article from 2020 says "Gross for the 7GCAA and 7ECA was upped in early 2001 to 1750 pounds for metal-spar versions." Does that mean that any metal spar 7GCAA (1994+) is eligible for the 1750 GW or only airplanes built after 2001? If it's any metal spar airplane, how do you go about getting a revised flight manual and CG diagrams for the new GW?

 

[dickeyjs]

Sorry, right after posting I think I found the answer. The TCDS has a Note 15 which seems to increase the GW for 7GCAA and 7ECA models built in 1994 and on to 1750lbs. Am I reading this correctly?

 

[Slipinonfinal]

Gross weight increase only with factory metal spar wings. Millman metal spar wings don't get that up graded GW increase. If you do the real math you roughly get a gross weight, useful load increase of about 60 lbs because the metal spars are about 40 lbs heaver than the the sitka spruce wood spars. So yes you get the 1750 GW but you only get 60 more lbs useful load. And then there's the real world!

Cheers, Brian

 

[Darby Bauer]

I'd give ACA factory a call for flight manual and CG diagrams you're looking for. Your '99 I believe came from the factory with the metal spars. ACA folks at the factory are incredibly helpful.

 

[dickeyjs]

I spoke to Chad in tech support. All 7GCAA and 7ECA a/c built in 1995 or later have a max GW of 1750 and a slightly expanded CG envelope for both normal and aerobatic categories. The new GW and CG envelope also apply to 7ECA, 7GCAA, and 7KCAB a/c modified with the metal spar wing. All per rev 67 of the TCDS from June 2005. ACA did not issue a SL or anything. They just updated the TCDS. I created an unofficial AFMS that has the new GW and CG limits plus an envelope diagram.