SNAM
Please don't misunderstand me, I understand your comments and what's more I AGREE ENTIRELY.
I'm not excusing the practice, the attitude and the fiddles.
In past lives I've taught Weight and Balance on large aircraft, including freighters.
When I started, I thought the difference between Net and Gross Performance was just 'money' in your back pocket (for money read 'safety').
What saddens me is that not only do Companies condone (by INaction) these practices, so do the Certifying Authorities who KNOW these practices go on and do nothing (or very little of substance) to stamp them out.
Sending an AIC around once a flood does NOT constitute DOING something.
HGV's are checked (in Europe anyway) from time to time by the authorities to check that they are not overweight. It's a damn shame that this practice cannot be done at Official instigation in the the Aviation Industry - both pax AND freight.
Lou's suggestion about an indicator in the Flight Deck of our ACTUAL weight would make us (and our human/freight cargo) much safer.
Using ACTUAL weights of pax and baggage would at a stroke make the charter industry safer BUT then the inevitable consequence would be a price rise.
Ergo we are back in a circular argument.
This has been a bone of contention to me for many years, that's why I sympathise with SNAM's comments.
The only way this COULD be resolved is if ALL crews went on strike until actual, verifiable weights were used ALL the time.
How many chances are there of THAT happening - back to FAT, SLIM and NONE.
So whilst I feel better for writing it, it makes no difference to those poor sods who were killed OR (perhaps more importantly since they were volunteers) their families.
It would be nice (but naive) to think that the result of THIS particular tragedy could be improvement and a resolve NOT to allow the kind of practices that predominate. (This based upon a prejudgement that the aircraft WAS overloaded).
I would ask anyone who wants to jump in and tell me I shouldn't pre-judge (and you are quite CORRECT). Ask yourself this question,
How many times have you accepted an aircraft that you KNEW was overweight, despite what the Loadsheet says?
The answer is of course your business not mine. Sadly it's a Business we share.
Edited phor spelin - agayn