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Airplane weight and balance

  • Chapter
Synthesis of Subsonic Airplane Design

Summary

The sensitivity of airplane performance and operating economy to the empty weight is discussed and the value of weight-saving is demonstrated.

An accurate weight prediction in the preliminary design stage is a most effective way to control the weight; it begins with a consistent scheme for weight subdivision and limitations. Considerations are presented for making a sound choice of the operational weight limitations.

Some general remarks on weight prediction methods are followed by a comprehensive collection of available and consistent methods, useful for most categories of modern civil air-craft. Attention is paid both to simple approximate methods and to more detailed procedures, for which detailed design information must be available.

The load and balance diagram is introduced to illustrate the flexibility of loading an airplane. The effect of the general arrangement and layout of the aircraft on the problem of obtaining adequate balance in all likely flight conditions is discussed and a procedure suggested for establishing a suitable longitudinal wing location and center of gravity range.

Many references to literature are given, as well as a large collection of data on weights and center of gravity ranges of airplane types in present service.

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Abbreviations

AC:

alternating current

Ai :

capture area of inlet

APS:

Aircraft Prepared for Service

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

AUW:

All-Up Weight

a:

constant factor in statistical weight equation

BOW:

Basic Operating Wight

Bp :

number of propeller blades per propeller

b:

span (no indes: wing span); factor of proportionality in statistical correlation

bref :

reference span

bs :

structural span (bs=b/cos Λ1/2)

\(\overline c \) :

length of mean aerodynamic chord

c.g.:

center of gravity

D:

selling price of payload

DC:

Direct Current

Dp :

propeller diameter

ESHP:

Equivalent Shaft Horse Power (takeoff, standard atmosphere)

h:

height; depth

hh :

height of horizontal tailplane above fin root

k:

factor of proportionality

kw :

factor of proportionality for the weight of a group of items

l:

length; monent arm; distance between end faces of a prismoid

lh :

horizontal tail length (cf. Chapter 9)

lt :

distance between 1/4-chord points of wing and horizontal tailplane root (see Fig. D-2)

MAC:

Mean Aerodynamic Chord

MLW (MRLW):

Maximum (Regular) Landing Weight

MTOW (MRTOW):

Maximum (Regular) Takeoff Weight

MZFW:

Maximum Zero Fuel Weight

mi :

ratio of actual to estimated weight for a sample point

N:

number of an item present in the airplane

n1,n2,...,nm :

exponent of a weight parameter

nult :

ultimate load factor

OEW:

Operational Empty Weight

Pel :

total electrical generator power (kVA)

Pto :

takeoff horsepower per engine (sea level, static)

RB :

maximum range with maximum payload (Fig. 8-3)

RD :

maximum range with maximum fuel (Fig. 8-3)

Rref :

reference range

S:

(projected) area of a surface (no index: wing area); standard error of prediction

S1,S2 :

areas of parallel end faces of a prismoid

SG :

gross schell area of the fuselage

She :

exposed horizontal tailplane area

SIV:

Standard Item Variations

SMC:

Standard Mean Chord

Swet :

wetted area

Tto :

takeoff thrust per engine (sea level, static)

tr :

(absolute) maximum thickness of root chord

U:

annual airplane utilisation

u.c.:

undercarriage

V:

speed; volume

Vb :

blockspeed

VD :

Design Dive speed

Vmax :

maximum horizontal flight speed

W:

weight

\({\dot W_{ba}}\) :

rated bleed airflow of APU

\({\dot W_{{f_{to}}}}\) :

fuel flow per engine, corresponding to Pto or Tto

WDE :

Delivery Empty Weight

WOE :

Operating Empty Weight

WG :

Gross Weight

WZF :

Maximum Zero Fuel Weight

X:

X-axis; parameter for wing weight estimation example

XLEMAC :

coordinate fo MAC leading edge

x:

coordinate of weight contribution; sample value of X

Δx:

range of x-coordinates for the c.g.

xOE :

airplane c.g. position for the OEW

Y:

weight of an airplane part

Yi :

actual (measured) value of Y for a sample

δ:

maximum deflection angle; incidence variation

Λ1/2:

sweepbace angle at 50% chord (no index: wing)

ø:

average load factor

ø1,ø2,...,øm :

parameters for general weight estimation formula

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

APUG:

APU Group

ba:

(APU) bleed airflow

cc:

cabin crew

cf:

cabin floor

cg:

center of gravity

ch:

cargo hold

d:

intake duct

e:

engine (s)

el:

electrical system

er:

bending moment relief due to engine (s)

f:

fuselage; flaps; fuel

fc:

flight crew

fg:

fuselage group

ft:

fuel tank

geo:

geometric shape

h:

horizontal tailplane

hc:

horizontal tail controls

i:

inlet; installation; sample

ieg:

instruments and electronics group

ld:

lift dumper

LEMAC:

Leading Edge of MAC

n:

nacelle (group)

p:

propeller

pax:

passengers

pc:

passenger cabin

pg:

propulsion group

s:

structure; slat

sb:

speed brake

sc:

surface controls group

tail:

horizontal plus vertical tail

thr:

thrust reverser

to:

takeoff

uc:

undercarriage

v:

vertical tailplane

w:

wing; weight

wc:

toilet/watercloset compartment

wg:

wing group

wt:

water tank for injection fluid

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  1. Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

    Ir. Egbert Torenbeek

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© 1982 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Torenbeek, E. (1982). Airplane weight and balance. In: Synthesis of Subsonic Airplane Design. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3202-4_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3202-4_8

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