Landing Gear

[PHX767]

When I was picking up a plane at the McDonnell Douglas factory years ago, we took a tour of a new DC-10 for a foreign carrier. It had some sort of CG indicator that worked by sensing strut loads. you could watch it change as people walked around the plane.

The plumb bob used in most modern transport airplanes is used to dispatch the plane when there is a fuel quantity indicator inop. Integral dipsticks measure the fuel level, then this info along with the plumb bob readings can be used by maintenance to give the fuel quantity in the tank.

 

[seattle]

I work at the "Lazy B". One of my co-workers asked me if this was a feature that we (Boeing) offered. I didn't know so I thought I would ask you guys.

Would such a system be marketable to the airlines? Specifically, load cells in each gear assembly that would feed logic inputs to one of the computers - VIA, MCDU, Smart Panel, Other. Or, are weight and balance calculations such a small part of the overall picture that such efforts would be fruitless - either as an STC or offered on new aircraft?

Thanks again.

Seattle

 

[profile]

The MD-11 has the option for this sort of system, but to my knowledge, only Saudi opted for it.