Ballast

Ballast Why CG is Out of Limits • • • • •

A/C gain weight as they age Equipment Repairs or a/c alterations Specific loading conditions Must bring CG back into limits

Shift CG within Limits • • • • •

Move baggage within or to another compartment Move cargo among available holding areas Rearrange passenger seating assignments Relocate movable equipment or stores Adding ballast

Using Ballast to Shift CG •

•

Add ballast to bring CG within limits ➢ Adds to aircraft Empty Weight ➢ Install as far aft or forward as possible ➢ Long arm minimizes ballast weight required Temporary or Permanent Ballast ➢ Only installed in approved areas ➢ Must be properly secured

Installing Permanent Ballast • • •

Long Term installation Typically after equipment change or alteration Installation ➢ Bolted to a/c structure ➢ Or approved as Major Alteration ➢ Placard – “Permanent Ballast – Do Not Remove”

Installing Temporary Ballast • • •

Short term installation Typically to meet specific loading conditions Installation ➢ Usually in a baggage or cargo compartment ➢ Placard – “Ballast, xx lbs, Removal Requires Weight & Balance Check”

Calculating Ballast

• • • • • • • •

WeightBallast (weightDerived*( Weight - Weight of ballast to shift CG Weight - Loaded weight of the a/c CG Required) Specified CG limit CG Derived Loaded CG of the a/cc Arm Ballast - Ballast location from Datum Always round up ballast weight to next higher pound Cross-check using IWAM

Adverse/Extreme Loading Condition •

• •

Performed whenever the CG is out of limits ➢ Load Check ➢ After a repair or Major Alteration ➢ Empty Weight check ➢ No loading charts available If CG within limits in adverse and extreme loading conditions, CG is almost never out of range Note: “Adverse Load” and “Extreme Load” are synonymous terms

Adverse Loading Checking •

•

•

Adverse or Extreme Load Check verifies worst case CG & weight limits are not exceeded ➢ Gross Weight ➢ Forward Extreme CG condition ➢ Aft adverse CG condition Performed on paper ➢ Mathematically ➢ Do not actually load and weigh a/c Standard Weights

Extreme Loading Guidelines •

• •

Must include useful load items ➢ Maximum load items ➢ Pilot – cannot be left empty ➢ Fuel Maximize or exclude (empty) minimal load items Minimum fuel

Maximum Weight Check •

Current Empty Weight CG Report ➢ Paper Check

➢ Start with current Empty Weight ➢ Add all useful load items to be placed on the a/c ➢ Compare to Maximum Gross Weight