Week 7 Discussion

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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University *

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Mechanical Engineering

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Dec 6, 2023

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Week 7 Discussion Previously, you were presented with resources explaining aircraft weight and balance calculations. Now, research the web for more information, but focus on problems associated with failing to maintain proper weight and balance or overloading an aircraft. Locate a reliable source, taking care to rely on primary sources of information and avoid secondary sources. Think about how you would prevent or correct the situation that caused the problem. Use this discussion forum to share your analysis and cite your sources. Aircraft weight and balance is incredibly important when it comes to deciding if the aircraft is safe to fly or not. Aircraft only produce a certain amount of lift determined by how they are designed, and the maximum weight of an aircraft must not exceed the amount of lift it is able to produce. Balance is important when it comes to the maneuverability and aerodynamics of an aircraft. If an aircraft isn’t balanced or is overloaded, it can severely reduce an aircraft’s performance to the point of causing aerodynamic stalls or total loss of aircraft control. In February 2018, the National Transportation Safety Board released “Safety Alert 072 – Minding Weight, Maintaining Balance” that stated 136 aviation mishaps between 2008 and 2016 were caused by improper preflight weight and balance calculations, or the lack of them altogether. It also highlighted multiple different incidents where weight and balance were not considered during preflight preparation. On September 15, 2015, a float-equipped Otter was taking off from a lake in Alaska to transport passengers to a remote fishing spot and only reached an altitude of 175 feet before descending and impacting the terrain. Three passengers were killed while the pilot and other six passengers were injured in the crash. During the subsequent investigation, the pilot admitted that he just “guesstimated” the airplane’s weight and balance. It turns out that the airplane was overloaded by over 500 pounds and the center of gravity was past the aft CG limit by 4.08 inches. It was found that the airplane was not able to reach the correct airspeed for take-off due to the overload and that caused the plane to stall. On top of the weight and balance issues, the pilot was relying on visual sight cues instead of flight instruments although it was dark, and he most likely experienced spatial disorientation. The solution to preventing this mishap would have been pretty cut and dry – calculate the proper weight and balance of the aircraft and use proper procedures for flying at night. It seems that the pilot was just being careless and possibly overconfident in their abilities and unfortunately it caused the death of three passengers. References: NTSB Safety Alert 072 - Minding weight, maintaining balance . National Transportation Safety Board. (2018). https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001231152.pdf Aviation Investigation Final Report - NTSB #ANC15FA071 . National Transportation Safety Board. (2017). https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91981
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