WEIGHT AND BALANCE ENGINEERING

C. BALANCE CHART DESIGN

b) Inaccuracy on the cargo weight

Cargo weight is supposed to be known without inaccuracy : for freight loading airlines usually
weight the pallets and container after they are prepared, then for baggage the total weight of
baggage per flight is accurately known as each individual piece of luggage is weighed.
So Ecargo weight is usually supposed to be nil.

Note : in case the cargo weight cannot be accurately known it may be needed to introduce a
cargo weight inaccuracy, this inaccuracy may be due to the fact that the ULD weight is estimated
and not weighed or to the fact that the baggage weight per cargo position is estimated, usually
using an average weight per baggage piece.
In the case a cargo weight inaccuracy is to be determined the method to be applied is similar to
the one described in the next chapter for passenger weight inaccuracy.

3.4.2. Inaccuracy on passenger loading on board the aircraft

a) Inaccuracy on the passengers’ location

On the balance chart the passenger influence is taken into account as a delta index per
passenger cabin section (CABIN OA, CABIN OB, …), this delta index is based on an average H-
arm for the corresponding cabin section. Now the real loading may result in an H-arm different
from the average one. This difference will generate an inaccuracy on the aircraft CG
determination. This inaccuracy is named passenger distribution inaccuracy.

• Passenger distribution inaccuracy:

Eitem location = Witem x (H-armitem real – H-armitem assumed)

Eitem location is determined with H-armitem assumed being H-armCabinOX and H-armitem real being the H-arm
of the real passengers seating configuration.

The process for checking the different configuration is the following :

− Determine the cabin section average H-arm : refer to paragraph 2.4 ∆Index for
passenger boarding.
− Determine the passenger seating configuration which generates a significant
inaccuracy.

The maximum inaccuracy would be determined when all seats in front of the average H-arm are
full and all seats aft of the average H-arm are empty. But this boarding configuration is not a
realistic one and the inaccuracy is in this case very high. So a realistic boarding scenario needs
to be determined.
H-arm real passenger
seating configurations

H-arm H-arm H-arm

Cabin OA Cabin OB Cabin OC

Getting to Grips with Aircraft Weight and Balance 149