Calculating the Traffic Load and MTOM Flashcards
What are the aircraft weight categories?
Normal: angles of bank of less than 60º, no aerobatic manoeuvres
Utility: angles of bank in excess of 60º, chandelles and lazy eights
Aerobatic: fully aerobatic
Can you give me some examples of each category?
Air transport: normal category
Light aircraft (Piper Warrior, below a set mass): utility category
Pitts Specials: aerobatic
Who is responsible for finding the mass of the variable load (VL)? what is another name for the variable load?
The operator
Operational Items
What mass do we use when we calculate the VL?
VL is calculated with actual or standard crew and their baggage masses.
According to the EU-OPS, what are the standard weights for flight and cabin crew?
- 85kg for flight crew including hand baggage
- 75 kg for cabin crew including hand baggage
How do we consider hold baggage?
As part of the traffic load
Can an operator use other standard masses acceptable to the Authority?
Yes
How do we calculate the mass of the fuel loaded? How do we calculate if the density is not known?
From the actual density. If not known, according to an agreed method in the Operations Manual.
What is the Traffic Load?
Traffic Load = mass of passengers + baggage + cargo + non-revenue load
How is the mass of the cargo and non-revenue load determined?
By weighin
How is the mass of passengers determined?
- Actual weights:
o By a verbal statement (for 10 pax or less) and
o Adding to it a pre-determined hand baggage and clothing weight or using standard tables
The Operation Manual must lay down the procedure to be followed, invariably they use standard weights when EU-OPS permits it
What’s the standard mass for passengers?
- Hand baggage (6kg) + babies not occupying a separate seat
- Children = infants with their own seat and children aged 2-12
- All standard masses values can be varied by negotiation with the authority.
- In any flight where the masses of passengers are expected to exceed the standard pax mass, the operator must determine the mass by:
o Weighing or
o By adding an adequate mass increment as approved by the Authority
What are the standard baggage values in flights with 20 pax or more?
o If checked in baggage weight is expected to exceed standard baggage mass, the operator must determine that mass by:
Weighing
Adding an adequate mass increment
What shall the operator ensure when baggage weight was weighted with a different method?
Commander is advised when non-standard method has been used to determine the mass of the load
Method is stated in the mass and balance documentation
What are the standard baggage values in flights with 19 or less pax?
o Individual bags must be weighed
What’s the capacity of the weighing machine?
At least 150 Kg
How shall the mass be displayed in the weighin machine?
minimum graduations of 500 g
What’s the accuracy of the weighing machine?
- Accurate to within 0.5% or 200g, whichever is greater
In 19 pax seats or less:
How many columns do we have to account for seats numbers?
3.
1-5
6-9
and 10-19
Can you complete the standard mass values in the summary?
Think of male, female and children weights in the different rows
Solution in summary
What are the operator’s responsibilities when loading the aeroplane?
o Performed under the supervision of qualified personnel
o Loading of freight consistent with data used for the calculation of the aeroplane mass and balance
o Comply with additional structural limits such as:
Floor strength limitations
Maximum load per running metre
Maximum mass per cargo compartment
And/or maximum seating limits
What are the changes thath need to be accounted for when determining the final position of the CG during flight?
- Fuel consumption/trasnfer
- Passenger/Crew movement, and
- Configuration changes
What are the operational limits that are used to allow a margin of safety for these variations?
- Operational Take-off Limit
- Operational Zero Fuel Mass Limit
o Ensures CG remains within CG envelope throughout the flight
Where must the operator show fully account for the extreme variation in CG travel during flight and by whom/what is it caused?
In the Operating Data Manual
o Extreme variation in CG travel during flight caused by:
Passenger/crew movement
Fuel consumption/transfer
In free seating:
What must the operator ensure should an extreme longitudinal seat selection occur?
- Operator must introduce procedures to ensure corrective action by flight or cabin crew if extreme longitudinal seat selection occurs.
Free seating:
What must be acceptable to the Authority?
- CG margins and associated operational procedures, including assumptions with regard to passenger seating
What documentation is the operator responsible for?
Mass and balance
Last minute changes (LMCs)
What does the M&B documentation need to specify?
Before each flight:
a. load and distribution so that commander can determine that the mass and balance limits are not exceeded
What happens if LMCs are in excess of a predetermined maximum value?
a. New mass and balance documentation must be prepared
What can you say about the person who prepares the documents? What must the loading supervisor do? What about the the aircraft commander?
- Must put his/her Name on them
- Loading supervisor must sign them to confirm that the load and its distribution are in accordance with the mass and balance documentation
- Aircraft Commander accepts the documentation as correct by signing it
What are the things an operator must do when using a computerized system to generate mass and balance documentation?
What are the intervals of the verifications to ensure the system works on a continuous basis?
i. Operator must verify:
1. Integrity of the output data
ii. Operator must establish a system to check:
1. That amendments of his input data are incorporated properly in the system
2. That the system is operating correctly on a continuous basis by verifying the output data at intervals not exceeding 6 months
What must an operator do if he/she wishes to use an on-board mass and balance computer systems as a primary source of dispatch?
must obtain the approval of the Authority
What must be available on the ground when mass and balance documentation is sent to an aircraft via datalink?
i. When mass&balance documentation is sent to an aircraft via datalink (ACARS), a copy of the final mass and balance documentation as accepted by the commander must be available on the ground.
What is the formula for the Maximum Take Off Mass?
MTOM = DOM + Fuel on board + Maximum Permissible Traffic Load
What is the formula for the Maximum Permissible Traffic Load?
MPTL = MTOM - DOM - Fuel on board
What’s the formula for the AUM?
AUM = DOM + Fuel + Traffic Load
What’s the formula for the Useful Load?
Useful Load = Traffic Load + Fuel
What’s the formula for the ZFM?
ZFM = DOM + Traffic Load
What’s the formula for the Operating Mass?
Operating Mass = DOM + Fuel