He said that was a common problem might be worth looking into

Just read this very interesting thread and it seems to abruptly end.

Anyone know how it turned out?

Tom

Rob wrote:Just caught your weight question, my bird as you saw it weights 99.8 lbs on the tail in level flight attitude. It's probably worth reminding you that I am on the straight legs. Off the top of my head on fwd gear I am going to say 115-125ish would be 'normal' at empty weights in the 1650-1700# ish range.

I don't remember this thread from almost 3 years ago, but then again I can't recall what I had for lunch yesterday. I didn't onw a 180 then, but I do now so I'll chip in my two cents.

FWIW I weighed my airplane about a year ago, it's a 53 model with the forward gear legs. Levelled, with oil but zero fuel: 1550# on the mains & 113# on the tail. Mine flies just fine- trim indicator is just about at the screwhole on the trim cover when in cruise flight in my normal lightly loaded condition, and almost all the way aft when landing. I've never flown with more than a short weekends worth of camping gear in the year I've had it, never any real "skywagon loads", but so far the trim is rarely forward of the screw hole except for takeoff-- the tail comes up better if the trim us rolled forward about half an inch.