The Dry operating weight is the Basic Weight plus crew and catering, or in other words the

takeoffweight minus payload and fuel (and ballast if any).

This means that DOI/DOW on an outbound charterflt differs from the homebound, if returncatering is
carried onboard the first flt. It also means that DOI/DOW varies with crew. You will find the actual
DOW/DOI in your AFM.
DOI is usually determined by finding the weight on the different wheels together with the wheel
distance from the AC most forward point (reference datum). Or in other words, you find the arm and
moment for the wheels. Now you can calculate the DOI. This is always done by the manufacturer,
although operators check it. Weights may vary quite a bit between AC of same type and age. Operators
have to make a mass/balance check when installing new eqipment in the AC.

Dry Operating Wt is the basic weight of the aircraft plus OPerational Items such as Crew, Crew Baggage,
flight equipment, pantry.
The DOI is the balance condition at the state of Dry operating weight.
Usually in terms of %MAC but indices can be used to make life easier.

Indices are calculated as follows :-

Dry Operating Index = [(Sta - Ref. Sta)/C]+ K

Where,
Sta = The station (in or m)where the C of G is calculated to be after adding all components.
Ref Sta = Reference Station/Axis around which all index values are calculated (in manufactures manual.
C= Constant used as a denominator to convert moment values into index values.(variable by carrier).
K = Constant used to avoid negative index figures. (variable by carrier).

Load Control - In Commercial Aviation

An aircraft is pretty similar to a coach, both have passenger seats and room for baggage.
However, unlike a coach we cant just board an aircraft, fill it with fuel, baggage and cargo and
set off. Essentially the load control process allows for the maximisation of payload, all important
for generating revenue whilst ensuring that the aircraft still takes off, flies and lands safely.

Four Reasons Why Aircraft Need Loadsheets

1. An aircraft filled with passengers, baggage, cargo and fuel could be too heavy for the engines
to lift it off the ground.

2. The balance of the aircraft is crucial, and the location of the passengers, baggage, cargo and
fuel will affect the aircraft trim.

3. The undercarriage can only support a certain amount of weight on landing.

4. Loading too much weight into a particular part of the aircraft could cause damage to the
structure. Whilst this might not be evident straight away it could over a period of time shorten
the working life of the aircraft.
Five Important Aircraft Weights

It is necessary to understand that at different stages of loading an aircrafts weight will alter. The
majority of these weights are fixed and do not change often i.e. the basic weight of the aircraft,
although others such as passenger weights will vary. The table below shows the components that
make up the five different aircraft weights. The empty aircraft weight is a starting point from
which various components are added providing the load controller with a weight of the aircraft at
each stage of loading.

Basic Dry Operating Operating Zero Fuel Take-off

Weight Weight Weight Weight Weight

Aircraft Weight *

Fixed
*
equipment

Basic Weight * * * *

Crew * * * *

Pantry * * * *

Take-off Fuel * *

Passengers * *

Baggage * *

Cargo & Mail * *

Aircraft Weight

All aircraft are individually weighed and commonly no two aircraft will have exactly the same
weight. The empty weight of an aircraft is calculated to include its airframe and engines, full oil
tanks and unusable fuel.

Fixed Equipment

Seats, galley, toilets including furnishings and emergency equipment such as oxygen masks and
bottles. Anything that is standard or fitted as an optional extra to the aircraft is part of this
calculation.

Basic Weight

A combination of the aircraft weight and all its fixed equipment provides the foundation
necessary to calculate the four different stages of an aircrafts weight.
Crew

Generally commercial aircraft have a standard operating crew compliment with standard crew
weights used for load sheets. As an example the Bombardier Q300 aircraft has a standard crew
compliment of 2 pilots and 1 flight attendant. However, this can alter for training or checking
purposes when an additional pilot is carried on the jump seat or an extra flight attendant is in the
cabin. The load controller must adjust the crew compliment as it will affect the weight and trim
of the aircraft.

Pantry

Consisting of any food, drink, provisions or objects used for servicing passengers or crew. An
example of items covered in the pantry could include tea, biscuits, coffee pots and hot water.
Whilst individually these items have a negligible weight, when they are carried in bulk it will
naturally add weight to the aircraft in turn affecting its trim. It would be unfeasible to weigh
every item of pantry carried on board each flight therefore a standard weight is created
accounting for required provisions per flight. The weight and location is recorded for trim
purposes and absorbed into calculations for the operating weights of the aircraft.

Take-Off Fuel

This is a different figure to the block fuel uplifted on the ramp. An aircraft will burn fuel as it
starts engines and moves off stand taxing to the end of the runway, and lining up for take-off.
Therefore the amount of fuel the aircraft had prior to engine start will differ to the amount in
tanks before take-off. Subsequently take-off fuel is calculated by deducting the taxi fuel from the
block fuel. In commercial load control the taxi fuel is usually a standard figure specified by the
operator. Whilst this might seem inconsequential, in situations where congestion or delays are
incurred such as an aircraft operating out of London Heathrow, block fuel and take-off fuel
figures could differ greatly.

Passengers

The total weight of all passengers carried including their hand baggage. These can be actual
weights whereby all passengers and their hand baggage are physically weighed or, standard
weights where an air operator has an established and documented method and calculation in their
air operators exposition.

Baggage

The total weight of all baggage carried on board the aircraft, either actual weights calculated by
physically weighing baggage or, standard weights that an air operator has established and
documented in their air operators exposition.

Cargo & Mail

The total and actual physical weight of all cargo and mail carried on board the aircraft.
Standard Weights for Passengers, Crew and Baggage

Learn more about standard-weights-for-passengers-crew-and-baggage

Different Fuel Weights for Load Control

There are a number of different fuel calculations used on a load sheet relating to the various
stages of flight. This recognises fuel as a consumable item with an aircraft on landing carrying
less fuel than on take-off. Fuel is a crucial component of a load sheet with its weight and location
affecting an aircrafts trim and overall weight.

Block Fuel

All fuel uploaded onto the aircraft before it has moved anywhere.

Taxi Fuel

The amount of fuel an aircraft burns getting to the runway ready for take off.

Take Off Fuel

Block fuel minus the taxi fuel.

Trip Fuel

The actual fuel required from the take off to the landing.

Maximum Aircraft Weights

Airlines have weight and balance manuals stipulating weights for their company aircraft that also
include maximum aircraft weights. These indicate the maximum weight at varying stages that an
aircraft can be loaded to. When operating conditions, including the weather are perfect these
maximum weights are used. However, should the conditions deteriorate then these figures may
be restricted. An example would be a wet runway on take-off, essentially the aircraft would
become restricted on take-off with a RTOW that would be lower than the MTOW.

Maximum zero fuel weight (MZFW)

Maximum take off weight (MTOW)
Maximum landing weight (MLDW)

It is the load controllers responsibility to determine the lowest maximum weight governing and
restricting the load sheet by making the following simple calculations which ensures the aircrafts
structure and airworthiness requirements are not exceeded:-
MZFW + Take-off fuel
MTOW (Includes take-off fuel)
MLDW + Trip Fuel

After the above calculations have been made the lowest maximum weight will govern and
restrict the load sheet. Using either MZFW, MTOW or MLDW the operating weight is
subtracted providing the payload (allowed traffic load) which indicates how much additional
weight can be loaded onto the aircraft. Interestingly some aircraft have higher permitted weights
for take-off than landing.

How Much Can The Aircraft Carry?

Total Traffic Load

Total weight of all passengers, baggage, cargo and mail.

Payload (Allowed Traffic Load)

How much weight could be carried.

Underload

Deducting the total traffic load from the allowed traffic load provides an underload, this indicates
how much weight is still available to carry anything.

If you have an extra passengers wishing to travel that requires a late manual change (LMC) to
the load sheet, you will know if you have the weight available to accept them for carriage by
looking at your underload.

Balancing The Aircraft - Indexes

Once the weights have been calculated on the loadsheet this information is then transferred to a
balance chart to assess the aircrafts centre of gravity. Essentially if the load is within certain
limitations it can be trimmed in flight by the horizontal stabiliser. However, frequent load control
errors mean the aircraft is trimmed either too nose or too tail heavy. This can be corrected by
relocating the load through changing passenger seat allocations, albeit more common in turbo
prop aircraft, or reassigning the baggage, cargo, mail to different holds.

Centre of Gravity (CG)

The central balance point of an aircraft.

Basic Index (BI)

A fixed point on a numerical scale representing the central balance point of the aircraft, this
includes furnishings and fixed equipment.
Dry Operating Index (DOI)

The fixed point on a numerical scale representing the balance point of the empty aircraft, this
includes crew and catering.

Supporting Paperwork For The Loadsheet

Whilst the terms will vary slightly between airline operator and country, these are essentially
standard and internationally accepted supporting documents to a loadsheet.

Special Load Notification To Captain (NOTOC)

A dangerous good or any other special load is not generally carried onboard a commercial
aircraft unless a NOTOC has been completed, and this is usually supported by an entry shown on
the load sheet identifying its location, weight and description.

Some examples of special loads are:-

Live animals
Food stuffs
Human remains
Perishables

Loading Instruction Report (LIR) or Load Plan (LP)

The purpose of this document is for the load controller to allocate the load, and the loader to
confim where the actual load is located on the aircraft. The LIR/LP is prepared by the load
controller detailing where the planned load is to be located in the holds, the loader then records
where the actual load and weight is distributed in the holds. Sometimes it is necessary for the
LIR/LP to be changed by the loader i.e. a hold is bulked out before it contains the entire planned
load. The amended LIR/LP is communicated to the load controller enabling them to produce a
loadsheet that accurately reflects the actual weights and locations of the load.