35. A Graphical Method of Preparing Tabular Schedules for Balance Control in Loading Passenger Transport Aircraft

Paper

Abstract

Unlike cargo airplanes carrying loads at fixed locations, passenger transports must allow choice of seats for partial capacity flights and freedom of movement about the airplane while in flight in addition to consideration of variable and expendable items. The attempted solution of all of those problems to determine specific balance conditions for each individual flight would inevitably result in time delays and would require specially trained personnel at each station.
Airline operators have solved this problem by the use of simple tabular type loading schedules. These schedules indicate the maximum and minimum amount of cargo to be loaded in each cargo compartment for any given combination of total cargo and number of passengers. The schedules are constructed by first investigating the extreme balance effects of all adverse conditions which might possibly be encountered during a flight. Then the necessary cargo distribution between front and rear compartment is determined which will assure that the airplane balance is maintained within the specified limitations under all conditions.
An entirely graphical method of preparing such a type of loading schedule is presented herein, along with a discussion of necessary considerations and balance problems which may be encountered. This method consists of plotting the extreme loading conditions on a CG – weight grid and determining the required cargo distribution by use of an overlay graph of the cargo compartment loads.