Ever move pax for weight and balance?

[skydiverdriver2]

Ever move them back after takoff? I've seen this done on RJ's as well as larger jets. I asked the flight attendant, and they said that the captain said it was okay. Well, what if he's wrong? I know that fuel burning in a swept wing jet moves the CG foreward, but the flight envelope takes this into account. The FAA is cracking down on things like this, especially after that Beech 1900 went into the hangar at CLT. I wouldn't want anyone to get violated, especially for something as small as a passenger or two not wanting to ride in the back seats. I just wanted to warn you, in case this comes up at work.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

 

[FLYHY]

Our W/B and CG takes into account people moving back to their original seat assignments after takeoff and will not affect the rest of the flight.

 

[MQAAord]

At Eagle we moved people before ever leaving the gate, never inflight.

 

[skydiverdriver2]

Our W/B and CG takes into account people moving back to their original seat assignments after takeoff and will not affect the rest of the flight.

Really? How did you accomplish that?

 

[FLYHY]

I guess I should have been more clear. The way our W/B envelope is designed, the CG will always be within limits even if passengers move, as long as the CG is within limits for takeoff. Technically, it only assumes one person moving from one extreme section to the other, i.e. row 1 to row 20. However, if four people wanted to move from section 3 to section 4 it adds up to a CG arm change less than one person from section 1 to section 5. Hope this makes sense.

 

[skydiverdriver2]

I guess I should have been more clear. The way our W/B envelope is designed, the CG will always be within limits even if passengers move, as long as the CG is within limits for takeoff. Technically, it only assumes one person moving from one extreme section to the other, i.e. row 1 to row 20. However, if four people wanted to move from section 3 to section 4 it adds up to a CG arm change less than one person from section 1 to section 5. Hope this makes sense.

Sure, it makes sense. All airline W/B programs take people moving during flight into account, like flight attendants moving and people going to the lav. However, if you moved several people to make the CG fall within the envelope when you leave, you cannot move them inflight back to where they originally were. The envelope takes fuel burn weight shift into account. You have a zero fuel weight CG, and a takeoff CG. Both must fall within the envelope. If you change people inflight, then your zero fuel weight plot will change, in the wrong direction.

This may not cause a crash, but it is illegal and if the FAA sees you doing this, you will get violated.

 

[skydiverdriver2]

At Eagle we moved people before ever leaving the gate, never inflight.

Good. So, if a captain tells you it's okay to move passengers back inflight, you will tell him you can't, right?

 

[MQAAord]

Good. So, if a captain tells you it's okay to move passengers back inflight, you will tell him you can't, right?

In 6 years at Eagle I never had anyone demand to move back to their original seats inflight, never asked a CA if it was okay to move them back inflight nor ever had a CA tell me it was okay to move them back inflight.

 

[JPAustin]

The real concern should be the ACTUAL weight of the bags the rampies are adding to the rear hold. Ever seen a Saab or Brazilia taxi on its hind quarters? Even the RJs have this problem to some degree (if the cargo hold is in back). You never know how many bags the rampies put back there versus what they report for weight and balance.