Computerized weight and balance

[cessnadriver]

Bill, My friend Bill just helped me modify the spreadsheet to perform the WT&BAL on the computer. I'll be happy to send it to you. I have to Thank Gord as well for his assistance in this matter. Be aware you MUST check the information in the spreadsheet for your aircraft. Not responsible for errors.
You'll need to have Excel program to use this. I'm enclosing my e-mail address because there seems to be a problem attaching it to this web site-sorry.bstory@pa.rr.com
BILLS

[Ernie Martin]

At the risk of getting in trouble, I don't EVER do a weight and balance (w&b) calculation. For like the last 10 years.

I trained with a CFI that weighed over 300 lbs, did the w&b and it was OK. Early on, when I was building a house in the Bahamas, I made some trips with just me and lots of cargo, did the w&b and it was OK (to be fair, heavier stuff like beer cases went on the 2nd row of seats or near the front of the cargo area).

After several more w&b with pretty extreme loads, I concluded that it's very hard to get a Skymaster outside the w&b parameters, if you adhere to the max weight restriction on the cargo area and use minimal common sense (obviously, if one day I have an extraordinary load, like very light kids and a heavy cargo load, I will do a w&b).

Do other readers feel the same way? Or have you found instances where a Skymaster is outside the w&b parameters?

Ernie

[JeffAxel]

Depends on the Skymaster. My 1977 T337G could only carry 400lbs in the cabin with full fuel due to all the additional equipment ( AC, intercoolers, full deice, etc.), so I was leaving myself down on fuel, and doing a W&B anytime I had more than me and one passenger. It never hurts to check, and matters more to some planes than others.

[billsheila]

Ernie;
I agree with your point, however in my case I fly "Angel Flights" and a detailed W&B is required to be done and sent in to the organization for every mission. I am trying to automate this a bit and use my iPad to simply email them the documents.
Bill

[Ernie Martin]

I see your point, Bill. And, Jeff, by w&b I really mean the full weight by station calculation. On the weight alone, I do that on every flight (it's in my head: 1664 lbs minus the fuel weight minus a personal margin of 100 lbs; since virtually all my flights are to the Bahamas carrying 80 gal of fuel, that leaves ~ 1080 lbs for passengers and cargo).

Ernie

[sns3guppy]

Because you're using the same aircraft stations every time, it's an easy calculation that you can do on Excell or any other application that can add or subtract.

You can also get commercial software such as http://eflite.com/software/aircraft_...lators_std.php

www.fltplan.com has a weight and balance feature, but you have to build the profile. A lot of aircraft are in there already, but not the Skymaster. Be the first to build one yourself, and then it's there for everyone to use or modify for their own use.

I actually prefer the American Aeronautics plotters, and have used them on numerous light aircraft, a lot of medium turboprops and turbojets, and some faster, bigger equipment, too. They work great. I've used them under Part 135 a lot, and the FAA likes them. They're easy to use quickly, to use for multiple legs in the ame airplane with differing fuel or passenger loads, and if you order their duplicating forms, you'll get two copies with each weight and balance; one to leave behind or forward to your agency, and another to keep as a permanent record. Very handy. They come in aluminum and fit neatly in a flight "can" or your flight bag, and last forever. You can have them custom made for your aircraft, or accept a standard one for your make and model.

http://flyincg.com

They sell the ifly software, or the American Aeronautics plotters.

The nice thing with the vector graph and plotter method is that you can clearly see from the graph where your CG lies, where it will go with fuel burn, if you're in CG with your empty weight, zero fuel weight, loaded weight, and as you add each items, and it's very easy to see what you need to do to the load to bring it in CG or keep it there; you can plan out the entire trip that way and see exactly what fuel burn, or taking on or deplaning passengers or cargo will do to your load, where to put it to make the CG work out, etc, immediately and visually.

If you don't want a permanent record, you can get the laminated graph and draw on it with a grease pencil, too. Very economical. I recommend keeping a record of your CG for each flight, but it's up to you.

[hew]

All you need is "Numbers" on your iPad. I have a customisable spreadsheet I can send anyone who wants it. You can email from your iPad or take a screen shot and email that to keep your minders informed.

[JimC]

I like this one for $4.99:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wnb-...408836204?mt=8

because it allows for some pre-set weights at certain stations. For example, I don't have to remember how much my rear seats weigh - I can just move the "rear seats" slider to the right when they're installed, and to the left when they're not. I also carry some odd but specific cargo occasionally and it lets me add or subtract it with a finger swipe, and I don't have to remember how much it weighs or its station.

I use it to send emails of W&B for PALS (similar to Angel Flight) preflight.

[hharney]

Weight and Balance Pro is really easy to use. It makes it so there is no excuse in knowing your W/B. Not sure if it is on Android or not but for the Apple products it's sweet.


Photos
1. Cover
2. Work Page for Skymaster
3. Envelope and gross
4. Building the stations
5. Building the envelope