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 and/or luggage placement is not coordinated. Among other advantages, dynamically assigning the VTOL aircraft payloads 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.

An aircraft operation method of providing weight and center of gravity information is used to dispatch the aircraft. The aircraft has telescoping landing gear struts and strut seals that interfere with the free movement of the strut. An event trigger generated manually or automatically by an activation device triggers measurement and recording of internal strut pressure for a period of time. The recorded pressure measurements are transmitted to a first off-aircraft computer, which determines the total weight and center of gravity of the aircraft and provides the information to an operator of the aircraft.

An aircraft operation method of providing weight and center of gravity information is used to dispatch the aircraft. The aircraft has telescoping landing gear struts and strut seals that interfere with the free movement of the strut. An event trigger generated manually or automatically by an activation device triggers measurement and recording of internal strut pressure for a period of time. The recorded pressure measurements are transmitted to a first off-aircraft computer, which determines the total weight and center of gravity of the aircraft and provides the information to an operator of the aircraft.

An apparatus for sensing an elastic deformation of a hollow element, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one sensor that is arranged in a watertight capsule which is connected in a watertight manner to a connector device comprising at least one watertight electrical connector that is electrically connected to the at least one sensor, the at least one watertight electrical connector forming a first waterproof barrier of the connector device between an outside of the watertight capsule and the at least one sensor, and wherein the connector device comprises at least one further waterproof barrier that is formed between the first waterproof barrier and the at least one sensor.

An apparatus for sensing an elastic deformation of a hollow element, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one sensor that is arranged in a watertight capsule which is connected in a watertight manner to a connector device comprising at least one watertight electrical connector that is electrically connected to the at least one sensor, the at least one watertight electrical connector forming a first waterproof barrier of the connector device between an outside of the watertight capsule and the at least one sensor, and wherein the connector device comprises at least one further waterproof barrier that is formed between the first waterproof barrier and the at least one sensor.

The method obtaining a change to approved weight limits of a regulated aircraft type comprises the steps of determining a difference between a first maximum takeoff weight limit and a second maximum takeoff weight limit and, using the difference between the first maximum takeoff weight limit and the second maximum takeoff weight limit, identifying the second maximum takeoff weight difference as a percentage of the first maximum weight limit. In other embodiments, a second maximum landing weight limit, a second maximum takeoff weight limit, a second zero-fuel weight limit, and a second maximum ramp weight limit, are each identified as a percentage of the first maximum takeoff weight limit.

The method obtaining a change to approved weight limits of a regulated aircraft type comprises the steps of determining a difference between a first maximum takeoff weight limit and a second maximum takeoff weight limit and, using the difference between the first maximum takeoff weight limit and the second maximum takeoff weight limit, identifying the second maximum takeoff weight difference as a percentage of the first maximum weight limit. In other embodiments, a second maximum landing weight limit, a second maximum takeoff weight limit, a second zero-fuel weight limit, and a second maximum ramp weight limit, are each identified as a percentage of the first maximum takeoff weight limit.

The methods and systems provide for increasing the accuracy of aircraft weight and center of gravity determination through the use of filtered strut pressure measurements. Aircraft vertical and horizontal accelerations are determined as the aircraft is taxiing, and used to identify and reduce the number of significantly distorted pressure measurements, to allow the lesser distorted pressure measurements to be averaged, and a lesser number of distorted pressure measurements to be averaged; further identifying the aircraft in near-neutral acceleration and strut pressure values near-neutral of strut seal friction distortions. Pressure sensors, accelerometers, and an inclinometer are mounted in relation to landing gear struts to monitor, measure and record strut pressure as related to strut telescopic movement, rates of strut telescopic movement and aircraft vertical and horizontal accelerations; experienced by landing gear struts, as the aircraft proceeds through typical ground and taxi operations.

An aircraft has a first principles takeoff processor (PCE), a predictive flight envelope protection processor (PFEP), and a maximum takeoff weight processor. The PCE is programmed to predict a liftoff location and an energy state of the aircraft at a liftoff on a runway. The PFEP is programmed to assess each of a plurality of potential trajectories for compliance with or violation of a predetermined flight envelope. The maximum weight processor is programmed to: indicate that the aircraft may takeoff at the aircraft weight when any one of the plurality of potential trajectories is in compliance with the predetermined flight envelope; iteratively reduce an input of the aircraft weight to the PCE until the PCE indicates that any one of the plurality of potential trajectories is in compliance with the predetermined flight envelope; and indicate that the input of the aircraft weight as reduced is a maximum allowable takeoff weight.

An aircraft has a first principles takeoff processor (PCE), a predictive flight envelope protection processor (PFEP), and a maximum takeoff weight processor. The PCE is programmed to predict a liftoff location and an energy state of the aircraft at a liftoff on a runway. The PFEP is programmed to assess each of a plurality of potential trajectories for compliance with or violation of a predetermined flight envelope. The maximum weight processor is programmed to: indicate that the aircraft may takeoff at the aircraft weight when any one of the plurality of potential trajectories is in compliance with the predetermined flight envelope; iteratively reduce an input of the aircraft weight to the PCE until the PCE indicates that any one of the plurality of potential trajectories is in compliance with the predetermined flight envelope; and indicate that the input of the aircraft weight as reduced is a maximum allowable takeoff weight.