Utility Category???
 

Just doing some CoG calcs, studying for PPL...

Can't find a decent explaination of the Utility Category part of the CoG graph...

Can someone point me in the right direction. I really want to understand what it is, and means.

Thanks

J

Quoted from "The Air Pilot's Manual, Volume 4"

"Normal Category- below 5,700kg and non- acrobatic: manoeuvres limited to stalls and steep turns of 60deg. Typical limit load factors +2.5g and -1.0g

Utility Category- as for Normal category, plus limited aerobatics. Typical limit load factors are +4.5g and -1.8g

Acrobatic Category- fully aerobatic. Typical limit load factors are +6.0g and -3.0g"

The Utility Category line on the CoG graph shows where the aeroplane CoG is within the utility category. So if your do your maths and the dot on the graph is within the line, the aeroplane falls into the utility category and vice versa.

Hope this helps. Correct me if I'm wrong you knowledgable chaps.

h

In practical terms, when flying the usual types of trainer that you find in most flying schools:-

Use the "Utility Category" limits in the aircraft's POH, for all training flights: including students under training, flight tests, school check flights for qualified pilots.

In particular, most schools insist on the lower "Utility Category" MAW being used for such flights, presumably for safety reasons and because it puts less stress on the airframe.

Use the "Normal Category" limits when planning a self-fly-hire cross-country trip with passengers.

I hope that this helps ;)

Right-o, thanks people!

Helps a lot.

Better get back to studying them books!!!

The main restriction outside the utility cat. limits is normally no spinning/aeros, though the POH will normally specify what is and is not restricted. If you checked it and found you were only in "Normal" on a check/training flight IMHO the appropriate thing would be to bring this to the instructors attention. You could for example be doing Instrument training with others in the back of the aircraft which puts you outside the utility cat. but no problem just flying around like this practicing approaches:ok: