Airbus. Getting To Grips with Weight and Balance

Flight Operations Support & Line Assistance. Customer Services. Airbus S. A. S., 2003. — 290 p.Systems
Airbus aircraft are designed for passenger civil air transport with a passenger cabin on the upper deck. The lower deck of the airplane is dedicated to passenger luggage as well as additional freight transportation. So at the end of the 60’s, the A300 was originally designed to accommodate, with a semi-automatic, electrically powered cargo loading system, the Unit Load Devices that were already standardized at that time for the B747, considering that the cargo area was too great for it to be loaded manually. This solution was later used for to all the other longrange programs. On the single aisle family two cargo loading solutions are proposed to the operators either manual bulk loading or semi-automatic, electrically powered cargo loading system accommodating Unit Load Devices derived from the larger aircraft ULDs.
The following chapter describes the cargo loading areas on Airbus aircraft and the systems related to cargo holds.
As an introduction the first paragraph is dedicated to Unit Load Devices description.Weight and Balance Engineering
The purpose of this section is to present the impact of the aircraft CG position on aircraft performance and the certified limits design process. First it is necessary to define precisely what is the Center of Gravity, the way to express it in relation to the Reference Chord (RC) and to detail the forces applied on the aircraft.Loading Operations
During aircraft preparation before a flight the aircraft loading process is one of the key steps, which must follow some strict rules to ensure passenger, loads and aircraft safety and security.
The following chapter details the loading constraints and the necessary organization to fulfil them.
The first step before ensuring the aircraft loading is correct is to determine with the necessary accuracy the empty aircraft weight and corresponding CG position, then the determination of the average passenger weight is also important for the loaded aircraft weight determination.
Air transport is not more risky than other ways of transport. Indeed, air journey, with no vibration, shunting or bumping shocks, is probably the smoothest method of carrying cargo. Air transport has another advantage that can be very useful for cargo such as perishable goods or live animals: its rapidity. To ensure an adequate loading and a safe air transport, it is necessary to prepare the shipment. The shipment must be checked and pre-packed before loading.
Aircraft have a flexible structure. In addition to their natural contortion in flight, the quantity and distribution of load transported have an influence on the fuselage deformation. Therefore, Airbus has defined structural loading limitations that the operator must respect. These limitations are certified by airworthiness authorities. Detailed definitions of these limitations are proposed in this chapter.