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Mass and balance: loading an aircraft safely

Masses, limits, centre of gravity, standard masses, load control and the errors that matter, under ICAO, EASA and FAA rules

By Aerospace Garage Desk · Practitioner · 45 minutes · 24 narrated pages

What you will be able to do

  • ✓ Define the masses used in load control, from basic empty mass to landing mass, and check them against the structural and performance limits.
  • ✓ Apply the European and US requirements for weighing aircraft, re-establishing empty mass and choosing standard or actual passenger and baggage masses.
  • ✓ Calculate a centre of gravity from masses and moments, convert it to per cent of MAC and use index units and the weight-shift formula.
  • ✓ Run the load control process from planning to the commander's acceptance, including cargo limits, dangerous goods information, fuel effects and last-minute changes.
  • ✓ Recognise how mass and balance errors arise, using the official findings on Air Midwest Flight 5481 and take-off weight entry errors.
  • ✓ Evaluate digital load control, passenger weight surveys and layered cross-checks as safeguards against wrong numbers.

Course content

Session 1 · Why mass and balance matter

1.1

  1. Why mass and balance matter · free preview
  2. The mass ladder: from empty aircraft to landing
  3. Centre of gravity, datum and per cent of MAC
  4. Worked example: checking the masses against the limits
Session 2 · Regulations and weighing

1.2

  1. The rulebook: who requires what
  2. Weighing the aircraft, and when to weigh again
  3. Standard masses for passengers and baggage
  4. Worked example: choosing the standard masses
Session 3 · Calculating the centre of gravity

1.3

  1. Moments: adding up the aircraft
  2. Moving and adding mass: the shift formula
  3. Index units and the load and trim sheet
  4. Worked example: finding the centre of gravity in per cent of MAC
Session 4 · Loading and dispatch practice

1.4

  1. Load control: from plan to signature
  2. Cargo, containers and dangerous goods
  3. Fuel and the centre of gravity in flight
  4. Worked example: checking a last-minute change
Session 5 · Errors and how they happen

1.5

  1. How wrong numbers get in
  2. When the average is wrong
  3. Loads that move and aircraft that tip
  4. From the investigation file: Air Midwest Flight 5481
Session 6 · Digital load control and trends

1.6

  1. From paper loadsheets to digital load control
  2. Weighing real people: surveys and the debate
  3. Safeguards against the wrong number
  4. Worked example: tracing a take-off weight entry error

Who this course is for

Upskill courses are for professional development and are not approved by any aviation authority. Learner Terms

Course content © Aerospace Garage Limited. All rights reserved.