DG Flugzeugbau GmbH
Flight manual DG-500M
4.5.8 Flight with water ballast
Wing tanks
recommended ballast for smooth thermals:
rate of climb ballast
m/s fpm ltr. U.S. gallons
below 1,5 300 none
1,5-3 300-600 60 16
more
than 3 600 max. ballast
Do not exceed the maximum gross weight when loading the water ballast.
The maximum quantity of water allowed is dependent on the empty
weight and the cockpit load (see sect.6). In flight, the water drains at
approx.0,5 ltr./sec. (1.1 lbs/sec).
If there is the risk of freezing, dump all water before you reach freezing
altitude or descend to lower altitudes. If you suspect a tank is leaking,
dump all water immediately. Water ballast raises the approach speed, so it
is recommended to dump the waterballast before landing. Dump the
ballast before an outlanding in any case.
Filling the waterballast see sect. 4.2
After filling level the wings and check if the dump valves are tight. It is
not allowed to fly with leaking watertanks as this may result in an
asymmetric loading condition.
Dumping of the waterballast
Open both wing ballast tanks together. Do not empty one wing tank after
the other to avoid an asymmetric loading condition.
Valves leaking, servicing
Please refer to the maintenance manual sect. 1.8 and 4.1.
4.5.9 Flight at high altitude and at low temperatures
With temperatures below 0°C (32°F) for instance when wave flying or
flying in winter, it is possible that the control circiuts could become
stiffer. Special care should be taken to ensure that there is no moisture on
any section of the control circuits to minimize the possibility of freeze up.
It could be advantageous to apply vaseline along all the edges of the
airbrake cover plates to minimize the possibility of freezing closed.
Issued: April 1997 App. 4.24
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