PLT OF B747 IS CONCERNED THAT LACK OF LATERAL CTR OF GRAVITY INFO FOR FLT CREWS MIGHT RESULT IN INABILITY TO CTL ACFT UNDER ASYMMETRICAL THRUST SITS. ALSO FEELS FLT CTL DEFLECTION REQUIRED TO CORRECT FOR LARGE CTR OF GRAVITY VARIATION FROM CTRLINE RESULTS IN INCREASED DRAG WHICH COMPROMISES SPECIFIC FUEL CONSUMPTION PLANNING.

Date: 2005-06 · Aircraft: B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model · Phase: ground

Anomalies: other-failure-to-provide-lateral-cg-location-to-flt-crews

Synopsis

PLT OF B747 IS CONCERNED THAT LACK OF LATERAL CTR OF GRAVITY INFO FOR FLT CREWS MIGHT RESULT IN INABILITY TO CTL ACFT UNDER ASYMMETRICAL THRUST SITS. ALSO FEELS FLT CTL DEFLECTION REQUIRED TO CORRECT FOR LARGE CTR OF GRAVITY VARIATION FROM CTRLINE RESULTS IN INCREASED DRAG WHICH COMPROMISES SPECIFIC FUEL CONSUMPTION PLANNING.

Narrative

WHILE FLYING A WDB ACFT; ON THE WT AND BAL FORM; WE ARE GIVEN THE FORE AND AFT CTR OF GRAVITY LIMITS FOR THE FLT BUT ARE NOT GIVEN THE LATERAL LIMITS OF THE ACFT AT ALL. THESE LIMITS; WHICH ARE AFM LIMITATIONS; ARE NOT PUBLISHED IN ANY OF THE PUBS THAT ARE GIVEN TO FLT CREWS. ON THE B747 WHEN IN EXCESS OF 1.8 UNITS OF AILERON TRIM INPUT IS USED THE SPOILERS ARE DEPLOYED; IN CONJUNCTION WITH RUDDER TRIM AS WELL. I HAVE NO HOPE OF REACHING MY SET PERFORMANCE GOALS FOR THE FLT. SO WHEN I HAVE AN ABNORMAL FUEL BURN FOR THE ALT AND SPD SPECIFIED FOR THE FLT; THE ONLY UNKNOWNS ARE THE LATERAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE LOAD. THE GREATER CONCERN FOR SAFETY IS IF WE ARE 30000 LBS OVER OUR LIMIT TO ONE SIDE; HOW DOES THIS AFFECT VMCG? WILL I BE ABLE TO KEEP THE ACFT IN THE CLEARWAY AHEAD DUE TO LOSS OF CTL EFFECTIVENESS? WILL THE ABNORMAL AILERON INPUTS BECAUSE OF THIS DEGRADE MY ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY FLY THE ACFT? IF THE ACFT IS TO MAKE A TECHNICAL FUEL STOP; IS THE ACFT LOADED AT THE POINT OF DEP ASSUMING IT WILL BE AT MAX GROSS TKOF WT ON THE SECOND LEG WITH NO REDISTRIBUTION OF THE LOAD? WITH INCREASING LOADS ON ALL OUR WDB ACFT IN OUR FLEET; WHY IS THIS EXTRA CROSSCHK NOT FURNISHED TO THE PIC? BOEING; AIRBUS AND MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DID NOT MAKE ACFT WITHOUT A LATERAL LIMIT.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.