ADX ADX Aircraft Performance and Weight Balance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of a weight-and-balance manifest?
- To verify the aircraft's load distribution keeps the CG within certified limits before departure (Correct answer)
- To list all passengers by full legal name for security screening
- To document negotiated fuel prices at the destination station
- To record the maintenance actions performed before the flight
Correct answer: To verify the aircraft's load distribution keeps the CG within certified limits before departure
The weight-and-balance manifest documents how load is distributed so the dispatcher and captain can confirm the CG falls within safe limits prior to release.
Question 2: What is 'operating empty weight' (OEW)?
- Weight of the aircraft including crew, oil, and unusable fuel but excluding payload and usable fuel (Correct answer)
- Weight of the aircraft when it has no passengers aboard
- Weight of the aircraft when it carries no cargo whatsoever
- Weight of the aircraft measured immediately after landing
Correct answer: Weight of the aircraft including crew, oil, and unusable fuel but excluding payload and usable fuel
OEW includes the airframe, powerplants, fixed equipment, crew, operating fluids, and unusable fuel — the baseline before adding payload or usable fuel.
Question 3: Which factor is NOT a standard input for aircraft takeoff performance calculations?
- The age distribution of passengers aboard (Correct answer)
- Ambient temperature at the departure airport
- Airport pressure altitude and field elevation
- Headwind or tailwind component on the runway
Correct answer: The age distribution of passengers aboard
Passenger age has no bearing on performance calculations; temperature, altitude, and wind are the standard environmental inputs used in performance charts.
Question 4: What does 'payload' mean in aircraft weight terminology?
- The revenue-generating weight consisting of passengers, baggage, and freight (Correct answer)
- The total weight of fuel loaded for the flight
- The combined weight of the operating crew and their equipment
- The aircraft's total weight at the moment of departure
Correct answer: The revenue-generating weight consisting of passengers, baggage, and freight
Payload is the revenue portion of useful load — passengers, baggage, and cargo — and directly determines profitability of the flight.
Question 5: What is the primary hazard when an aircraft departs with its CG aft of the approved limit?
- The aircraft becomes pitch-unstable and may pitch up uncontrollably (Correct answer)
- The aircraft consumes significantly less fuel during cruise
- The aircraft achieves a faster initial climb rate after liftoff
- The aircraft experiences improved fuel efficiency on long routes
Correct answer: The aircraft becomes pitch-unstable and may pitch up uncontrollably
An aft CG beyond limits reduces or eliminates the nose-down pitching moment, making the aircraft dangerously unstable and potentially uncontrollable in pitch.
Question 6: What is 'maximum landing weight' (MLW)?
- The maximum weight at which the aircraft structure is certified to sustain a landing impact (Correct answer)
- The maximum weight that can be placed on the aircraft while parked at the gate
- The combined weight of the landing gear and brake assemblies
- The weight restriction applied to cargo in the lower hold only
Correct answer: The maximum weight at which the aircraft structure is certified to sustain a landing impact
MLW is set by structural analysis of landing loads; exceeding it risks damaging the airframe, landing gear, or wing structure during touchdown.
ADX ADX Aircraft Performance and Weight Balance 2
What is the primary purpose of a weight-and-balance manifest?