An aircraft weight and balance data management system includes a central server storing weight and balance data thereon which communicates over a communications network with computer devices belonging to both pilot and maintenance persons respectively. The system i) receives up to date data from maintenance persons, ii) calculates weight and balance specifications for aircraft according to data from maintenance persons, iii) communicates the specifications to a pilot, and iv) calculates variations to the specifications for a loaded aircraft for all fuel burn scenarios. The system communicates up to date weight and balance information relating to large numbers of aircraft configurations to a central location such that all maintenance personnel and pilots have access to the same up to date information.

A system for weight measurement for an aircraft having a weight on wheels threshold between a flight mode and a ground mode includes a weight on wheels sensor arrangeable on a landing gear assembly of the aircraft, and a computing device receiving first detected data from the sensor related to strain on the landing gear assembly. The computing device calculates a rate of change of the strain over time to determine when the landing gear assembly reaches the weight on wheels threshold. The system also measures aircraft gross weight in a static condition.

A system for weight measurement for an aircraft having a weight on wheels threshold between a flight mode and a ground mode includes a weight on wheels sensor arrangeable on a landing gear assembly of the aircraft, and a computing device receiving first detected data from the sensor related to strain on the landing gear assembly. The computing device calculates a rate of change of the strain over time to determine when the landing gear assembly reaches the weight on wheels threshold. The system also measures aircraft gross weight in a static condition.

A calibrating device for measuring and calibrating a center of gravity of a remote control aircraft or an airfoil thereof is provided. The calibrating device includes a crossbar, a first support, a second support and a control unit. The crossbar is arranged along a longitudinal axis, and includes a longitudinal rail and a slider. The slider is movably engaged with the longitudinal rail. The crossbar includes a drive member coupled with the longitudinal rail or the slider. The slider includes a pointer. The first support includes a seat and two receiving portions which are arranged on the seat and are movable along a transverse axis. The receiving portions are aligned with each other. Each receiving portion includes a load cell. The second support includes a base and a supporting portion, and the supporting portion includes a load cell. The control unit is coupled with the drive member and the three load cells.

An aircraft lifting assembly includes a jack, a load cell, and a jack adapter. The jack includes an extendable arm having a distal end portion for exerting a force to lift an object. The distal end portion defines a cavity. The jack adapter couples the extendable arm to the load cell and includes a base portion, a cradle portion, and a projection. The base portion defines a jack arm support surface and a load cell support surface. The jack arm support surface opposes the distal end portion of the extendable arm and the load cell support surface opposes the load cell. The cradle portion extends from the base portion to circumscribe a portion of the load cell to secure the jack adapter to the load cell. The projection extends from the base portion into the cavity to secure the jack adapter to the extendable arm of the jack.

An aircraft lifting assembly includes a jack, a load cell, and a jack adapter. The jack includes an extendable arm having a distal end portion for exerting a force to lift an object. The distal end portion defines a cavity. The jack adapter couples the extendable arm to the load cell and includes a base portion, a cradle portion, and a projection. The base portion defines a jack arm support surface and a load cell support surface. The jack arm support surface opposes the distal end portion of the extendable arm and the load cell support surface opposes the load cell. The cradle portion extends from the base portion to circumscribe a portion of the load cell to secure the jack adapter to the load cell. The projection extends from the base portion into the cavity to secure the jack adapter to the extendable arm of the jack.

Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft can provide opportunities to incorporate aerial transportation into transportation networks for cities and metropolitan areas. However, VTOL aircraft can be sensitive to uneven weight distributions, e.g., the payload of an aircraft is primarily loaded in the front, back, left, or right. When the aircraft is loaded unevenly, the center of mass of the aircraft may shift substantially enough to negatively impact performance of the aircraft. Thus, in turn, there is an opportunity that the VTOL may be loaded unevenly if seating, luggage placement, and/or positions of internal components are not coordinated. Among other advantages, dynamically assigning the payloads and adjusting components of the VTOL aircraft can increase VTOL safety by ensuring the VTOL aircraft is loaded evenly and meets all weight requirements; can increase transportation efficiency by increasing rider throughput; and can increase the availability of the VTOL services to all potential riders.

A method and system for automating airline procedures, used is surveying passenger and checked baggage weights. A fully loaded aircraft is automatically weighed. A processing means subtracts weight values, including: aircraft OEW, fuel-weight, crew-weights, catering-weight, and cargo-weights; leaving only total passenger and checked baggage weights remaining. Opposing algorithms are applied to segregate total passenger weight from the total checked baggage weight; and each respective total weight is further divided by the known number of passengers to determine the average passenger weight, and the known number of checked bags to determine the average checked bag weight. Repeating these procedures for numerous flights, increases frequency of the automated survey process to a daily accumulation, to further refine to more precise average passenger weight and checked baggage weight; categorized by the day of the year, time of day, size of aircraft; and departure vs. destination cities.

A method and system for automating airline procedures, used is surveying passenger and checked baggage weights. A fully loaded aircraft is automatically weighed. A processing means subtracts weight values, including: aircraft OEW, fuel-weight, crew-weights, catering-weight, and cargo-weights; leaving only total passenger and checked baggage weights remaining. Opposing algorithms are applied to segregate total passenger weight from the total checked baggage weight; and each respective total weight is further divided by the known number of passengers to determine the average passenger weight, and the known number of checked bags to determine the average checked bag weight. Repeating these procedures for numerous flights, increases frequency of the automated survey process to a daily accumulation, to further refine to more precise average passenger weight and checked baggage weight; categorized by the day of the year, time of day, size of aircraft; and departure vs. destination cities.

Disclosed are methods and devices for determining a load condition of an aircraft. A sensing device is mountable relative to an aircraft strut during loading operations and demountable after loading operations. A data processing device is operable to process output from the sensing device together with aircraft specific data, to determine a load condition of the aircraft.