MD80 CG management
 

I've traded my 737 hat for one with MD80 on it and of course the first question to come up is about the legality of using the Aux tanks on an 83 to manage your CG.
Does anyone out there know of a website where I can get into the MD company AFM? (There's a question about the company's)

Thanks much

Sorry LEM...

While I can't speak to the specific aircraft, this is not at all an unusual approach to the CG control problem.

In general, if fuel is to be used as ballast (eg for CG control or wing bending relief requirements) then it has to be surplus to the fuel burn requirements either for the relevant stage of flight or, more generally, for the entire flight.

For a specific aircraft, if a ballasting procedure is described in

(a) the AFM or OEM Weight and Balance Manual (this may be done explicitly or implicitly), or

(b) other approved documents (eg approved Loading System)

then it is reasonable to presume that it is OK.

fuel ballast
 

MD FAA manual says: " Auxiliar tanks may be used for ballast fuel only on airplanes with the fuel fill line drain valves deleted per Service Bulletin 28-51, or the production equivalent"

I know that the swiss company Balair did use these tanks for balancing porpouses.
1.000 lbs of fuel at FWD AUX creates - 6 IU, while at the AFT AUX tank just + 2.5 IU.

My company doesn´t allow this procedure and max unbalance betwen AUX tank is 400 lbs.