Originally Posted by
FH1100 Pilot
Nigel, that is a very good question. At the show, N505CQ had "some" weight back there but I could not tell how much. Nor do I know whether it is pilot-adjustable - it would certainly necessitate an entry on the Form C in the W&B section of the RFM. And it would probably be tricky (if not difficult) and definitely not a good idea to change that weight while the ship is running.
During HAI i went and looked at the 505 they the hat-eating curmudgeon is referencing. It had only a very small weight on the aft ballast point. So the CG was so in a ferry condition suitable for sitting in the static exhibit and flying back to Texas. So of course it would not be as well suited for 5 heavy folks in the front. It’s really no different from the Astars or other light helicopters with the whole cabin in front of the rotor flapping hinge.
And the lifting listed above was described by an actual 505 cargo hook user. He said they were slinging 1700 lbs over and over again and pushed it up over 1900 without using much of the takeoff power range on the PSI.
Someday you will really have to eat your hat...