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Fixed ballast...are there changes with the C-mod that places less fixed ballast in the nose?

We have a C model that we removed the ballast after a gun removal (-6 inspection) and it only had one fixed 11 lb ballast plate. The bolts had about 15 washers under them. Got this jet recently from Moody.

According to the JG there's supposed to be at least 4 fixed ballast and the bolts are allowed up to 3 washers on the nut side.

There's no documentation about reduced ballast that we can find for this acft, so we have to do a weight and balance according to the \"Hog Hotline\" guys who are visiting my base to determine if this is okay and if we can order different bolts that will fit with 3 or less washers.

Just curious if any current C guys are in the know.

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SoWW #2485
Cave Putorium!

We've been weighing jets like crazy here lately, IDK why though. Done like 4 in the last 3 weeks. We add/remove however much ballast is required to get it in the envelope.
If you need 41 lbs of ballast for example, who cares if theres a 31 and a 10 instead of a 10, 10, 10, 21?
41lbs=41lbs.

Slightly off topic, Ballast is the dumbest thing on the jet. It doesn't matter when one pilot weighs 70 lbs more than another, eats a big meal and brings a huge bag with him in the cockpit, vs another who weighs 70lbs less, takes a dump prior to flight and goes up with next to nothing, so why is 1lb of ballast so important? wtf, over.

Jack the weight of the pilot is taken into consideration. I can't remember the variable for them but it is calcualted in. If you don't believe adding one pound here and there makes a differance you need to get the W&B guy to sit down with you and show you just how much it will throw the CG out of wack.

Weasel, are you sure you're not confusing the fixed ballast with the variable ballast? I can't remember ever taking the fixed ballast out of an aircraft for a -6 inspection, but it's been a long time since I've worked on an A-10 of any mod. However, W&B guys should be able to tell you exactly how many ballast are required for the aircraft.

Fixed are the long ones in the gun bay yeah? We've been removing them and finding corrosion (just a little rust) underneath, both on the plates and the acft...mainly around the bolt holes.

I did confuse the amount of washers though. The washers were for the variable ballast...but with only one fixed plate our bolts are way too long.

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SoWW #2485
Cave Putorium!

The amount of ballast will change especially prior to or after a deployment; change to combat barrells or the type of rounds that are going to be carried in the gun. Also I'm pretty sure you have that backwards, the fixed is in the wheel well and the long plates are the variables. But having said that, I am an Eagle guy now so theres a pretty god chance I'm wrong. I just don't ever remember removing a plate in the nose wheel well. I do remember adjusting plates in the gun bay.

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YGBSM !

Fixed ballast is the long skinny plates in the gun bay. APG does those.
Variable ballast is the smaller fat plates in the NLG wheel well. Weapons does those.

Thanks Jack...I was starting to think I was crazy (er)!

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SoWW #2485
Cave Putorium!