Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Contents
1 Description
2 Loading Procedures
3 Load and Trim Sheets
4 Departure Control Systems (DCS)
5 Manual Load sheets
6 Aircraft Commanders' Acceptance of Load and
Trim Sheets
7 Electronic Flight Bag generation of Load and
Trim data
8 Provisional and Final Load Sheets
8.1 Adjustment of the Last Minute Changes
(LMC)
9 Risks arising from aircraft loading
10 Consequences of actual misloading or incorrect
input of load-related data
11 Related Articles
12 Further Reading
Category:
Runway Excursion
Content source:
SKYbrary
Content control:
EUROCONTROL
RE
Tag(s)
Description
It is crucial to the safety of an aircraft in flight that it is loaded in such a way that the specified maximum allowable
weights are not exceeded and that the centre of gravity as loaded will be and remain within the permitted flight
envelope for all stages of the intended flight. Once these conditions have been satisfied, it is equally crucial that the
flight crew are aware of the prevailing weight and centre of gravity so that they can make appropriate settings to
aircraft equipment; these include take off reference speeds, trailing edge flap, and pitch trim position. This is
important to ensure that rotation can be made at the right indicated airspeed and will result in a successful transition
from ground to flight meeting any restrictions imposed by the TORA and obstacle clearance, and with full control of
the aircraft retained. It is also very important that aircraft baggage and freight load complies with the restrictions on
carriage of dangerous goods.
Loading Procedures
It is essential that the Dispatcher or other official assigned responsibility for overseeing aircraft loading, specifies the
loading requirement correctly and has a reliable method by which he/she can be satisfied that his/her instructions
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have been carried out as requested. Whilst modern methods are likely to use automated systems to determine the
seating options for passengers and the disposition of dead load between available loads, effective procedures and
compliance remain the only way of ensuring that what has been specified and passed to the aircraft commander has
actually been achieved. For Hold Loading, this is usually achieved by the completion of a Loading Instruction Form
(LIF). The LIF is given to the loading supervisor who certifies that it has been complied with and returns it to the
issuer as evidence that the work has been completed. The completed load and trim sheet are then given to the
aircraft commander. The human supervisor must also have a reliable means of confirming that the dangerous goods
regulations and any special requirements for securing unusual items in the holds or in the passenger cabin have been
complied with.
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have seldom or never prepared a manual load and trim sheet or checked one for acceptance; this unfamiliarity
significantly increases the risk of undetected errors with significant consequences.
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If any LMC occurs after the completion of the mass and balance documentation, it must be brought to the attention
of the captain and clearly entered on the documentation. The captain should amend the mass and balance sheet, but
it is essential that it is recorded on the copy kept at the airport.
Related Articles
European Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions Edition 1.0, January 2013.
For a more detailed discussion of the issues arising with hold and cabin loading, see Hold Loading and Passenger
Cabin Loading which also have links to reports of investigations into specific outcomes consequent upon hold or
cabin loading data being incorrectly calculated or applied.
Other articles of interest within SKYbrary include:
Takeoff Weight Entry Error and Fatigue (OGHFA SE)
Further Reading
Analysis of aircraft weight and balance related safety occurrences
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