837. Lockheed L-1011 On-Board Weight and Balance System
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Paper
Abstract
The new generation of jumbo jets brings with it the requirements for more precise and accurate methods for determining aircraft gross weight and center of gravity (C.G.). Wide bodied aircraft of the Lockheed L-1011 type, having a payload capability of over 300 passengers and cargo capacity of nearly 50 tons must have assurance that the present manual system employed to determine loading is both accurate and economical. The Lockheed L-1011 on-board weight and balance system provides C.G. accuracy of ~1 % MAC and gross weight accuracy of 1 percent of actual. Elimination of the costly passenger seating variation allowance is made possible by the much more accurate determination of passenger C.G. Forward and Aft C.G. Limit indicators are provided which alert the flight crew in the event that either C.G. limit is exceeded. Utilization of an on-board system in this manner must meet with FAA approval. Lockheed’s first step in this direction is installing the system on the first three L-1011 flight test airplanes. The system value is further enhanced by hard landing indicators which sense vertical load on each gear as a function of time. Potential growth is the implementation of zero fuel C.G. and zero fuel gross weight parameters. Knowledge of these parameters safeguards against fuel burn-off moving the C.G. out of limits during the flight as fuel is consumed. Visual indicators would be employed as ‘Go’, ‘No Go’ indicators.
