View Full Version : Weight loss incentives for pilots?
wishtobflying
5th Jan 2005, 05:20
It's a funny thing - I got on a domestic flight recently and had to pay a fee for having a bag that was 7kg over the 20kg allowed. I looked at the lady behind the counter and said (very nicely, no hint of unhappiness about the fee itself), "it's interesting - if I had been here a year ago, you would have been putting an extra 30 kilos on the plane just for ME, let alone my bag." She just looked at me with a blank expression, I realised I was wasting my time and just coughed up the $35.
But it made me think - with small aircraft, payload is money, down to the last kilo, maybe why it's called "pay"load. If an aviation company owner wanted to, he could offer his pilots a weight-loss incentive per kilo lost (within reason, anorexia not allowed!).
Without wanting to be offensive in any way, what do other readers think of this idea? If you as a pilot could put 15 or 20 kg more gear on each flight (or 30kg like me), wouldn't that be worth a reasonable amount to the company over a long period of time?
Maybe a fleet of pilots could be offered a collective incentive so the pilots already at an "ideal" weight wouldn't be disadvantaged by those who lose a lot more. This might encourage a better community spirit about the whole thing.
How in the world did you manage to loose 30 kgs in a year?
I could stand to loose 20 kg or so;) Let me in on the secret.
A reasonable diet + chop off one leg.
One of my fellow flyers weighs up to 140 kg.
He had been in troubles throughout his career despite the company using standard weight for the crews. Recently he was fired from one operation by the oil company logistic manager for that overweight. He is now suing the oil company for discrimination.
Trouble is, he frequently got mad at the flight dispatchers for excesses of few kgs over the proposed payload.
This society is not meant for people out of norms.
ATN
B Sousa
5th Jan 2005, 11:16
Brings up a very valid point for both Crew and Pax. Its criticial in small aircraft when you book all the seats for "Normal" folks. Whatever that is. I do think the Airline industry has some standard for Male/Female Average weights. Im sure someone will come up with it.
Anyway as a Tour Toad it is very critical when I have 6 seats on an A-Star or B206L and see my tourists heading my way who have not missed any meals on a cruise ship and that includes all Midnight buffets. I actually had the loaders stuff some in the back of a Jet Ranger once who were so big that one guy pushed the pax window out on the ground when we landed. No fault of his, just companies looking for the buck could not stand to lose a seats revenue. Once in a while I will bounce the load back to the dispatch office as they obviously are trying to push me for the $$$$. It keeps them on their toes. Its also why I prefer an A-Star over a B206L for max loads.
Now when we get loads, if they are over a certain weight, they pay 1.5 the rate and we block a seat. Most have no problem and its more comfortable for them also, but some pull out the old "discrimination" BS although its not working as well these days.
As to Pilots. I know a few who cant push away from the table (including me) although I have not gone extreme. I guess I should confess its our responsibility as "Professionals"?? to control that behavior.
Rumor has it the FAA showed up on Maui recently with a set of scales and weighed passengers exiting a tour helicopter. I also heard the pilot was then violated for taking off over gross weight. (I stress this is only rumor and I have not verified this).
We have a policy with our pax---Upon check in all of our passengers are weighed, any more than 250lbs or 445lbs per couple and they have to buy an extra seat. We also compute weight and balance and CG for every flight.
wishtobflying
5th Jan 2005, 21:55
Without wanting to turn this into a weight-loss thread, basically eat less than you burn. PM me if you want more info on that side of things.
Gordy: 250lb? I weighed ~240lb at my heaviest and I'm only 169cm tall - you must get a lot of people buying extra seats!
If I were an operator, I would be interested in saving money anywhere I could.
In your company, with the hours your machines fly, what savings would be made over time if you were carrying (n) kg LESS per flight? Savings on fuel use over a year per kg, for example? This would enable you to quantify the benefit to the company in operating costs alone, then you could take it further with the increased chargeable capacity per flight argument.
Looking at industries like mustering, where the pilot IS the payload - recruit small pilots to save on fuel?
maybe a weight loss thread may not be a bad idea. (Especially seeing as it's so soon after new year.)
It can be tricky to eat well when you're sent to the a.e.o.n. time after time. I got food poisoning the last place i stopped, but i had to eat the attendant (too rough) or the pie.
The main incentive i guess is keeping your job...
To be honest I would not have a clue as to how much money could be saved. I would guess that it is negligible. We fly an average of 1800 hours per year per aircraft. We have no limits on power as some companies do (they limit the pilots to not going above 93% NG. I would guess we have about one person buying an extra seat per day. They have options-----not all companies charge if you are "large". We only charge because of comfort not because of the weight. Have you ever tried to stuff 4 people all weighing about 200lbs in the back of an Astar and assure them of their comfort????????