Mass & Balance 1

Mass refers to the quantity of

matter in a body as
measured by its inertia

Holiday Charter Other Mass of individual Pax may be determined from a verbal statement
by or on behalf of the pax if < 6 seats available
Infant (0y ...2y) Considerable amout of pax or baggage exceeding the standard
masses: Operator should use individual masses or add an adequate
Child (2y ...12y) 35kg; 1seat mass increment
Weighing machine for pax: Capacity 150kg; graduations of 500g
83kg Max weight of cabin crew in 19-seat AC on Holiday Charter = 75kg Limitations
Adult 69kg 84kg Baggage = Personal belongings
Standard mass for baggage (15kg) may be used if >20 seats Structural Performance Other
or avg. of 76kg If no carry-on baggage is carried: Subtract 6kg from standard
masses
= MRM
Maximum certified Ramp (or Taxi) Mass
Mass an AC may be loaded prior to engine start
Definitions Fixed value listed in AC Flight Manual

Ramp Mass - RM
Taxi Fuel
Takeoff Mass - TOM = MTOM
= max. permissible total AC mass @ start of TO run Regulated TOM = Lower of both
May not be exceeded on any TO Limiting in Hot & High conditions structural and performance
Normally the limiting factor on TL on long distance limited TOM
flights
Traffic Load Trip Fuel (TF) Usable TOM: Consider MLM + Fuel burn
(TL) Takeoff
(useable) If AC < max. structural LM but
> max. performance limited LM: Limited by strength of runway
fuel (TOF) Landing Mass - LM = MLM
Useful Load (UL)

Tire temperature limits could be exceeded Amount of fuel to jettison: To a

Operating Mass - OM If exceeded, undercarriage could collapse on LDG Runway may be too short safe level at or below regulated
Contingency No go-around possible Landing Mass
Alternate Structural fatigue increased
Final reserve
Zero Fuel Mass - ZFM = MZFM
Takeoff Passengers AC mass with no USEABLE fuel Structural limit due to max permissible bending moment
Cargo @ wing root (on AC without central tank)
(useable) Imposes fuel dumping from the inner wing tank first
fuel (TOF) Traffic Operator must establish Regulatory limitation
Load TL by actual weighing or Calculated for a LF of +2.5g
in accordance with Fixed value stated in AC Operating Manual
(TL) standard masses Limiting factor on TL on short legs with minimum fuel
specified in JAR-OPS
Part J

Dry Operating Mass - DOM

Standard Masses: Includes fixed equipment needed to carry out
Flight Crew = 85kg a specific flight
Crew Cabin Crew = 75kg
Incl hand baggage AC mass ready for a specific type or
allowance operation

Responsibility for
determination lies Crew baggage
with the operator! Operating Catering
Removable pax equipment
Items Potable water
Lavatory liquids
Basic Empty Mass - BEM
Weighing = Weighed Mass
Specific equipment integral to the
Determined by manufacturer
Aircraft must be weighed: particular aircraft configuration
Found in the latest version of the weighing
On initial entry into service schedule as corrected to allow for
If the mass and balance records have not been adjusted for alterations modifications
or modifiactions
Whenever the cumulative changes to the dry operating mass exceed Unusable fuel + Is amended to take account of changes
plus or minus 0.5% of the maximum landing mass
If the cumulative change in CG position exceeds 0.5% of the MAC
If individual masses are used the mass of an aeroplane must be
Full Operating Fluids due to modifications of the AC
Calculation of Max. Masses for TO & LDG
determined prior to initial entry into service and thereafter at intervals of Standard Empty Mass
4y if no modifications have taken place. Furnishings TF TOF
Where an operator uses "fleet masses" and provided that changes have
MTOM +MLM +MZFM
been correctly documented, this interval is 9y for each aeroplane.
Systems
---------------------------------------
It is not required to drain all engine tank oil or fuel tanks Limiting Structural TOM = (minimum of:
Must take place in an enclosed, non-air conditioned hangar Power Plants ... ... ... )
With a minimum of three points of support
Aeroplane has to be clean and equipment complete for weighing
Aeroplane Structure
Payload (=TL) = ( - || - ) - DOM - TOF
 Mass & Balance 2
The Datum
is the point on the aeroplane

CG in %MAC
designated by the
manufacturers from which all Distance: Leading Edge (LE) - CG
CG (MAC) = Changing tailplane
CG measurements and is the location of CG in relation to the Mean Total MAC
calcuations are made. incident angle does
Aerodynamic Chord of the wing. not change CG
Its position is given in the MAC
Loads must be adequately position!
aeroplane Flight or Loading secured in order to avoid
Manual. unplanned CG movement and 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
It is located at a convenient aircraft damage.
point which may not CG
physically be on the LE
aeroplane.
The datum is a fixed vertical
plane from which all the arm
distances are measured CG location is calculated/measured along the longitudinal axis
[ CG safelimits
range is between front and rear CG
and includes both limits
]
A location in the
aeroplane, identified by a
number designating its
distance from the datum =
A Station

Center of Gravity (CG) Standard CG Calculation Walkthrough

= the point of a body through which the sum of the forces of all 1.Calculate Moment = Arm * Force for all stations
masses is considered to act 2.Add up all moments => Total Moment (taking out weight = negative Moment!)
= the point where all the aircraft mass is considered to be 3.Add up all forces (weights) => Total Weight
concentrated
4.Calculate CG position with Arm = Total Moment / Total Weight

Weight
Acts in a direction parallel to the gravity vector
On ground or in level, non accelerated flight vertically through
CG

Units Moment = Arm * Force

If the actual fuel density is not known, conversion from volume All moments turning clockwise = Moment Arm use N or kg
to mass can be done by using std. fuel density according to the arund datum are positive; consistently!
= Balance Arm
OM If all moments given are positive, = Horizontal distance
1US.gal. = 3.785l the datum must be at the nose or
from Datum to CG
= 0.833Imp.gal. in front of the AC
= 6lbs AVGAS
1kg = 2.2lb

Other
Once the mass and balance documentation has been signed
!!!
prior to flight, acceptable last minute changes to the load must
s
dea
be documented
Index Method: In Mass and balance calculations the index is
the moment divided by a constant
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