R44 Weight & Balance 1.14.1

The R44 Weight & Balance app offers a comprehensive solution for assessing the center of gravity (CG) and weight configurations, both at current fuel levels and at zero fuel. It provides essential guidance for pilots making adjustments for passenger placement and fuel management to maintain optimal CG limits. This tool is particularly beneficial for new R44 pilots who may need assistance in determining the appropriate seating arrangements to achieve proper weight distribution.

This application serves as an educational resource, illuminating how even minor weight variations can significantly affect CG. It allows users to understand the ideal weight range of passengers—typically between 150 - 200 lbs—and explains the reasoning behind the unique CG envelope design in the R44 helicopter. The detailed Longitudinal and Lateral graphs afford a clear visual representation of CG data, reducing reliance on raw numerical displays.

The development of this app was driven by the perceived high costs associated with existing R44 weight and balance applications. Although initially, creating a simple calculator seemed feasible, the complexity of developing a multi-functional app that dynamically graphs data across various devices proved to be a substantial undertaking. Ultimately, after considerable time and effort, this app emerges as a cost-effective alternative offering extensive features.

Designed for iPhone 5 onward and compatible with iPad Pro, the app ensures functionality without sacrificing performance on older devices, albeit with some graphical compression on an iPhone 4s. Key features include:

• Visual representation of CG for both zero fuel and current fuel levels.
• Indication of minimum fuel requirements for maintaining balance when out of CG at zero fuel.
• Longitudinal and Lateral CG graphing functionality.
• Support for multiple R44 helicopters, allowing easy switching for pilots flying different models.
• Capability to accommodate various models including Astro, Mariner, Raven I, Raven II, and the experimental Cadet.
• Individual weight entries for all seats and baggage compartments.
• Adaptability for doors on or off, demonstrating its significant impact on CG.
• Overweight warnings highlighting overall helicopter limits as well as seat and baggage combinations.
• Efficient architecture requiring minimal storage space and low CPU usage.