Base Training Loads

[Diaz]

Hi, just an aviation fanatic, don't have anything professionally to do with aviation (yet with any luck :E)

Just a quick question with base training. I'd be very interested to know what kind of loads are the aircraft at for base training? I can't imagine that an empty aircraft and one full pax will feel the same- if I am wrong, than all the better. If they aren't empty, what kind of proportion of normal weight would they be at- for example, a 737 wouldn't need too much weight to bring it up to a certain proportion of it's average ZFW on the line, but I would imagine a 747 would need quite a lot to make up its weight- if that is done, what is normally put onto the aircraft to make it that heavy?

Thanks for your time.

[G-V]

If you dont have any pax/payload and want to have a realistic airplane behavior, all you need to do is to top off the airplane.

[Zippy Monster]

On my base training (A319) we had two training captains, a safety pilot, six cadets, a bit of catering and 18 tonnes of fuel. We refuelled half way through the session (after 18 circuits.)

[Diaz]

Aha, never thought of putting more fuel in :rolleyes:, thanks!

[WindSheer]

But then again, flying the machine with or without passengers or cargo is not the point of the exercise, simply flying the macine is!!

The dirrerences in handling are ironed out with the training captain during line flying.

[Old Smokey]

Ummm, I think that the use of reduced thrust (Assumed Temperature / Flex) puts the aircraft in a (close to) performance limited Takeoff in each case. With a very large thrust reduction, the trainee is seeing the aircraft perform just as it would at maximum weight for the prevailing conditions. Speeds would, of course, be lower, but even in day to day light / heavy Takeoff Weights, we see large variation in Takeoff speeds every flight.

Granted, a light Vs a heavy aircraft may exhibit different landing characteristics, but the basics are the same.

Apart from trainees and some refreshments, the only load that we carry is ballast, as empty aircraft are notoriously out of trim in the unloaded condition.

Regards,

Old Smokey

[captjns]

In the 727 we would put ballast in the forward hold to keep the CG forward. Load the jet with gas and perform 20 takeoffs and landings and while refueling, maintenance would check the wheels and brakes and then off we go again.

Assumed temperature takeoffs were performed in order to replicate the acceleration of a loaded aircraft.

The best part is that we had no catering other than drinks and ice. We went into the terminal for a good meal between base checks and maintenance checks and refueling.