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ENGINEERING COURSE
July, 2007
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FLIGHT OPERATIONS
ENGINEERING COURSE
INDEX
9. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 26
July, 2007
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FLIGHT OPERATIONS
ENGINEERING COURSE
The Moment about any given point due to an applied force can be determined by
multiplying the force by the distance between its point of application and the given point.
Clockwise moment about the intersection point between the board and the wall due to
force F:
Moment = F x d
To keep any segment of a beam in equilibrium when an external force is applied to it,
there must be forces internal to the beam itself that are equal and opposite to the applied
load.
These internal forces can be categorized as shearing forces and bending forces.
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ENGINEERING COURSE
Shearing forces act tangentially to the applied load. Each section of the beam must
support the adjacent section in response to the load.
Shering
Forces
Bending forces act perpendicularly to the applied load, and result from the moment
caused by the load. These forces cause tension and compression within the beam, to
offset the moment caused by the applied load.
Bending
Moment
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FLIGHT OPERATIONS
ENGINEERING COURSE
The LEMAC defines the distance of the Leading Edge of the Mean Aerodynamic Chord
from the Airplane Datum.
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ENGINEERING COURSE
This is the position where the mass of the aircraft is considered concentrated for balance
purposes.
di
d2
d1
W1 W2 Wi
XCG
WEIGHT = W1+W2+...+Wi
W1d1 + W2 d 2 + ..... + Wi d i
X CG =
W
Usually, the CG position is referred to in terms of %MAC, as it is represented in the figure
bellow:
DATUM
LEMAC MAC
BA
% MAC
The CG position, referred in terms of %MAC, can be obtained, according to the formula:
( BA − LEMAC )
CG (% MAC ) = x100
MAC
Where BA is the balance arm of the airplane’s CG.
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ENGINEERING COURSE
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ENGINEERING COURSE
Weight
BOW
Operational
Items
BEW
Standard Items
EEW/
(MEW)
EMBRAER brings the EEW and the BEW in a document called Airplane Weighting
Form, like the one shown bellow. The BOW is defined by the operator, according to its
standards and types of operation.
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ENGINEERING COURSE
Based on airplane structural capability. The Structural Limitation helps to define the
shape of the CG x Weight chart.
Engine Engine
Fuel Fuel
Wing Wing
Structure Structure
Airloads Airloads
The airloads generate a momentum on the wings root. Wing structure, engine and fuel
weights generate a momentum on the opposite direction. As the result, the structure has
to be able to support a momentum that tends to bend the wings up.
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ENGINEERING COURSE
On the next scenario, the aircraft is still flying, but tanks are almost empty. Since there is
no fuel, the momentum on the wings root is maximum.
Engine Engine
Wing Wing
Structure Structure
Airloads Airloads
It is known that the higher the aircraft weight, the higher is the lift, and consequently the
airloads. Since the aircraft is designed to support a maximum value of momentum on the
wings root, this will define a maximum aircraft weight, not considering fuel. This maximum
weight is called Maximum Zero Fuel Weight (MZFW).
1.7.5 MAXIMUM DESIGN TAXI WEIGHT (MTW) OR MAXIMUM RAMP WEIGHT (MRW)
Maximum weight allowed for movement of the airplane on the ground (taxiing or towing).
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FLIGHT OPERATIONS
ENGINEERING COURSE
∑F = 0 LIFT
∑M = 0
CG CP
DOWN
FORCE
WEIGHT
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Case 1: When CG is 2.0 meters ahead of center of pressure (CP), horizontal stabilizer is
still able to generate a moment high enough to compensate pitch down moment created
by the pair of forces Lift/Weight.
M (Lift) = 86 m.ton M (Stabilizer) = 90 m.ton
Lift = 43 ton
CG CP
2m 16m
CG CP
2.5 m 16m
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Analogous to the forward CG limit, there is an aft CG limit that in most cases depends on
the maximum possible upward directed lift force that the horizontal stabilizer can generate.
Apart from this static aspect, there is also a dynamic criterion:
The aircraft should fly stabilized, i.e. after an external disturbance the aircraft should return
to the former flight condition without any pilot intervention. If for example the aircraft is hit
by a gust, the angle of attack is increased for a short time. The lift forces on the wings and
the stabilizer change linearly with the angle of attack, but to different extents.
To grant longitudinal stability, a clearly defined restoring moment ∆M is required. For this
example it is assumed to be ∆M > 25 m x ton.
CP
2.0 m 16m
From first picture it can be seen that the restoring moment of 26 m x ton is sufficient to
return the aircraft to equilibrium
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CP
1m 16m
From second picture it can be seen that the restoring moment of 21 m x ton is not
sufficient to return the aircraft to equilibrium, since its value is lower than the required 25
m x ton.
Even worse, once the restoring moment is lower than the one generated by the gust, the
angle of attack would keep increasing, aggravating the situation even more.
For a manual flight, commercial air transport aircraft must have positive stability to
maintain a stability margin. The amount of margin required is a function of a number of
variables and will generally differ from one airplane to another.
The maximum permissible aft limit is thereby defined by the controllability or the static
inherent stability of the aircraft.
Naturally, changes in position and intensity of aerodynamic forces during variations in
angle of attack will be taken into consideration for the calculation of the CG limit.
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The airplane center of gravity (CG) limits are defined by a CG envelope contained in the
Airplane Flight Manual and in the Weight and Balance Manual. For all flight phases
(takeoff, cruise and landing), the airplane CG must be within the allowable range defined
in the CG envelope.
4
5
4
6 3
4
7
2
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ENGINEERING COURSE
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The aircraft weight and balance calculations are normally performed assuming that
passengers are evenly distributed along the aircraft cabins and that the crew, passengers
and movable items are fixed in a pre-determined position.
For all practical purposes, however, it is known that passengers may not be evenly
seated, flight attendants move along the cabin, the landing gear retracts, etc. All these
movements, not previously expected in the weight and balance calculations, may result in
deviations from the assumed load distribution.
For these reasons, some aeronautical authorities (including EASA, as required by
Appendix 1 to JAR-OPS 1.605, or FAA, according to AC 120-27E) require that airlines use
an Operational CG envelope, which is the AFM certified CG envelope reduced by a CG
margin to account for the possible deviations from the assumed load distribution. This
process is known as Center of Gravity Curtailment.
OPERATIONAL
ENVELOPE
AFM
ENVELOPE
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AFT SEATING ALLOWANCES: Considering seating order from LAST ROW to FIRST
ROW and WINDOWS FIRST to AISLE AFTER distribution. The most influent moment of
all the defined cabins is considered to cut the AFT part of the AFM envelope.
FORWARD SEATING ALLOWANCES: Considering seating order from FIRST ROW to LAST
ROW and WINDOWS FIRST to AISLE AFTER distribution. The most influent moment of all the
defined cabins is considered to cut the FOWARD part of the AFM envelope.
FWD FLIGHT ALLOWANCES: The most restrictive between movement of the AFT flight
attendant to the FWD galley and movement of the FWD flight attendant to the cockpit.
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AFT FLIGHT ALLOWANCES: The most restrictive between movement of the FWD flight
attendant and a trolley to the aftermost row and movement of a mid cabin passenger to
the AFT lavatory.
It is necessary to consider a fuel allowance due to CG shift caused by the reduction of fuel
quantity during the flight.
In addition, it may be necessary to consider an allowance due to variations in the fuel
density.
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NOTE: For Ferry or Training flights, in which passenger or flight attendant movement is not
an issue, a constrained center of gravity envelope without some of the takeoff and
flight allowances may be used so as not to limit these types of flight unnecessarily.
According to what it was discussed during the definition of the Center of Gravity, the
aircraft CG can be calculated through the sum of momentums. The figure bellow brings
the BEW, operational items and cargo weights, number of passengers and respective
arms.
D
A
T
U
M
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ENGINEERING COURSE
On the table bellow, the momentums generated by the items that define the ZFW CG are
added:
W d + W2 d 2 + ..... + Wi di ΣM 56081668.38
CG = 1 1 = = = 664.45in
W ΣW 84402.6
For a MAC = 144.96 in and LEMAC = 625.83 in, the ZFW CG position can be defined related to
the MAC:
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ENGINEERING COURSE
WEIGHT CG%
BOW 66000 lb 19.5%
CARGO FWD 2400 lb
CARGO AFT 2400 lb
PAX(90@190lb) 17100 lb
ZFW 87900 lb 19.3%
TAKEOFF FUEL 19000 lb
ATOW 106400 lb 15.7%
TRIP FUEL 14000 lb
LW 92000 lb 18.2%
LW (92000 / 23.5%)
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5. INDEX SYSTEM
W .( Arm − A)
I= +C
B
Where:
I = Index
W = Aircraft or body weight
Arm = Aircraft or body Center of Gravity
A = Reference arm. Selected arm around which all index values are calculated. On the
balance chart CG envelope, the Reference Arm CG% line is the only vertical CG% line
B = Constant used as a denominator to convert moment values into index values. On the
balance chart CG envelope, B controls the CG% lines splay (splay decreases with
increasing B)
C = Constant used as a plus value to avoid negative index figures. It is only used when
computing the aircraft Operating Empty Weight Index (OEI), and is not used when
computing individual bodies index influence. On the balance chart CG envelope, the
Reference Arm CG% vertical line is at C index units
Values for A, B and C may be chosen at the operator discretion.
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W .( Armi − A)
∆I i =
B
6. BALANCE CHART
A Balance Chart is a document used to perform the Aircraft Weight and Balance. The idea
is to add to the BOI the Index Influence of the cargo, passengers and fuel in a graphic way
and to verify if the TOW, LDW and ZFW CG positions are inside the aircraft operational
envelope.
Some important aspects of a Balance Chart are given bellow:
a) It can be used by relatively untrained personnel (low cost);
b) An error in the alignment of the overlay can cause balance error. Training is important
to minimize this possibility;
c) All calculations are permanently recorded and can be checked;
d) Visual indication of balance effect on airplane is given for each load item. Therefore,
planning cargo distribution is simplified;
e) Calculation and art work are required for revision if new weights or CG limits are
certified.
f) The printing of the grid and the overlay requires a relatively high degree of accuracy.
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ENGINEERING COURSE
July, 2007 23
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In general, the best position for fuel saving is an aft CG, since this condition results in
smaller stabilizer down forces and, therefore, smaller wing lift forces. The reduction on
the lift results in less drag, therefore reducing fuel consumption.
Some airplanes have an automatic system to maintain CG as aft as possible, in order to
optimize fuel consumption.
Similarly to this fuel consumption analysis, an aft CG is also beneficial to takeoff
performance. For this reason the certification flight tests must be performed in the most
forward CG position, so that the AFM takeoff performance is conservative for any CG
position located aft of the forward limit of the CG envelope.
Some airplanes have a special AFM supplement with a restricted CG envelope, in order to
improve the takeoff performance.
Case 1: A forward CG position requires higher lift forces and moments for the same
aircraft weight.
FWD CG POSITION
Lift
C
C
MAC
Elevator
Downforc
Weight
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ENGINEERING COURSE
Case 2: An aft CG position reduces lift required, drag and fuel consumption.
AFT CG POSITION
Lift
C
C
MAC
Elevator
Downforc
Weight
There are some loading configurations that may lead the ZFW outside the lower part of
the CG envelope. This is typical for ferry or test flights where there is no payload or the
Zero Fuel Weight is approximately equal to the Basic Operational Weight.
ZFW
Fuel can be used as ballast in order to relocate the ZFW inside the envelope.
The ballast fuel must be shown in the weight manifest as an adjustment to the BOW (or
DOW), which will then be included in the ZFW. A minimum fuel quantity on board is then
required and shall not be considered for flight planning.
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9. REFERENCES
July, 2007 26
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