Weight and balance are two integral aspect of safe flying, and many aircraft incidents have been attributed to aircraft that were overloaded or that were not properly balanced in their distribution of weight. Because of the known dangers associated with this, aviation authorities have established requirements that pilots must follow. At GEC Scales, we offer a wide range of superior scales as well as advanced weight and balance training with the purchase of our weight systems. Our goal is to help each professional understand more about the aircraft before a departure and to gain a better understanding of how weight and distribution of weight can impact the flight experience through our systems and vehicle scales training.
Our Innovative, Reliable Scales and Weighing Systems
At GEC Scales, we sell a weight range of weighing systems with various features and functions. Our systems can be used for weight calculation on all types of aircraft as well as ground vehicles. Each of our systems is unique to fit the various needs of our valued customers. Generally, however, you can expect each of our systems to have:
- Industry-leading accuracy
- Top-quality training and support
- An ultra-low profile
- An ultra-high capacity
- Advanced portability
- Wireless connectivity
Through our advanced weighing systems, pilots and others can obtain accurate, reliable information about the weight of the vehicle or aircraft as well as how well-distributed that weight is.
Weight and Balance Training
We provide our customers with comprehensive AWBS training solutions with the purchase of a weighing system. One of the courses available is the Aircraft Weight and Balance course. This course is designed for students with some basic understanding in the subject and who want to develop superior understanding through education in more advanced topics. Topics include weight and balance methods, accuracy, safety considerations and advantages and disadvantages in weight and balance methods. This course can be tailored specifically to meet your unique needs, including for aircraft and helicopters. A review of Type Certificate Data Sheets and Military Technical Orders will also be included in the course.
Systems Software Training
In addition to the weight and balance training, customers can also benefit from the Automated Aircraft Weight and Balance Systems Software Course. Students will receive a Certificate of Training upon successfully passing the course. It is suitable for Department of Defense and military contractors. The course provides assistance for automating the DD Form 365 documents. It also provides elaboration in topics related to Charts A, B and C as well as Form F, Aircraft Modifications, Scheduler and Master Charts A. Optional training is also available for Automated Form F generation.
Why Weight and Balance Are Important
Before you take advantage of aircraft weighing systems training provided with your purchase of one of our vehicle or aircraft scales systems, you may be wondering why it is important to expand upon your existing knowledge in these areas. Aviation authorities generally require that pilots or aircraft commanders become comfortable with the aircraft’s load before departure. This includes being satisfied that loads are properly secured and distributed for safe flying. Furthermore, there is an additional requirement regarding a Permit to Fly or a Certificate of Airworthiness. These are provided with a reference to the weight and center of gravity in a flight or operational manual. Ultimately, the pilot is required to ensure that the aircraft is safe to fly before departure, and insurance companies may therefore reject a claim if an accident occurs and the pilot did not follow this legal requirement.
How Overloading and Improper Distribution Impact Flight
When an aircraft is overloaded or when the weight is not distributed in a balanced fashion, it could impact the plane in a number of ways. For example, it could:
- Reduce the range
- Impact acceleration speed and landing distance
- Interfere with maneuverability and controllability
- Impact structural integrity
- Increase stall speed
- Limit the rate of climb
These are only a few of the many ways that weight can affect an aircraft, and each of these and other factors can ultimately create dangerous flying conditions.
It is vital for safety as well as a legal requirement for pilots to understand more about the weight of each aircraft that they fly before taking off. A visual inspection of the plane is often not enough to satisfy the legal requirement, and we provide advanced, reliable scale systems that can be used to improve the pilot’s knowledge of the aircraft and to comply with this requirement. Simply having the scales to weigh aircraft is not enough. Pilots must also know how to use them, and we provide advanced aircraft weighing systems training that can expand upon the basic knowledge that many pilots already have. GEC Scales produce some of the finest vehicle and aircraft weighing systems on the market. Our products and training services are top notch, and we’d love to work with you.
Contact us today!