399. Handbook of Airline Weight and Balance Project Initiation

Paper

Abstract

Under cover of an Airline Committee letter dated December 14, 1962 a preliminary outline for Handbook of Airline Weight and Balance distributed to 76 airlines throughout the world. Following is a reprint of the cover letter regard to this subject for your review.
‘It has been suggested that the airline committee of the Society of Aeronautical Weight Engineers instigate a project to prepare what has been titled a ‘Handbook of Airline ‘eight and Balance. ‘
The primary reason advanced as to the need for such a document is that airline weight and balance is considered to be a somewhat unique profession, practiced ‘by a comparatively few engineers who frequently have responsibilities in addition to weight and balance, and whose workload is not conducive to any great amount of investigation, study or research. In this light a ‘handbook’ would provide a useful training document expose the airline engineer to the several methods or techniques which are i n use by the airline of the world, detail the legal and philosophical requirements of the profession, and permit his evaluation of the best policies and procedures consistent with his facilities and equipment. We do not suggest that this is an easy or quick project for the Society to undertake, but it would appear to ‘be a rather useful document if conscientiously and cooperatively approached. It is proposed that various airline members of the Society would contribute sections for the handbook as their background and experience ‘best qualified them. All members would contribute thoughts, section and draft material in order the book would have complete and detailed coverage of the subject. Undoubtedly, such a document would require periodic review and possibly revision a responsibility that would rest with the SAWE Airline Committee. As a beginning, and in the interest of establishing some feeling for the scope and magnitude of this project, the attached tentative is provided. Your comments and suggestions as to how this outline should be expanded or condensed, with as much detail as you can provide will materially aid in formulating the Airline Committee’s position and further action. Analogies, frames of’ reference, desires of importance, means of defining the problem, intuitive and/or analytical approaches, and any other techniques or concepts which you may have developed or evolved which are a help you understanding or solving your weight and balance problems could have a place in this handbook. The primary reasoning and proposals of this letter are not changed as of this writing. However, the outline of subject material has ‘been enlarged upon somewhat as you will note from the attached revised outline. It is believed that the suggestions and thoughts of the replies that offered Specific comments on this project have .been incorporated in one way or another. We do not suggest that this outline is by any means fixed or complete. Rather it is still no more than an outline, or guide, which can be used to begin this rather formidable task.