MD80 FLT CREW USES ANGLE OF ATTACK CALCULATIONS TO DETERMINE ACFT IS OVERWT DURING FLT. ANGLE OF ATTACK INDICATED THAT THE ACFT WAS OVERWT BY AN AVERAGE OF 6000 LBS.

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133 BAGS; 136 PAX. PAPER WT OF ACFT AT 8000 FT; 142500 LBS. ALPHA SPD INDICATION OF 251 KTS EQUALS 150000 LBS -- A 7000 LB DIFFERENCE. LNDG CALCULATION OF 126400 LBS ON PAPER. REAL TIME ALPHA SPD SHOWED 132000 LBS AT CLEAN MIN/MAN. ALPHA FLOOR SHOWED A WT OF 131000 LBS WITH A REF OF 132 KTS FOR 40 DEGS FLAPS VERSUS 125000 LB LNDG PAPER WT. 6000 LBS! AVERAGE OVERAGE; THAT'S THE WT OF AN AUTOMOBILE! LOOKED AT ANOTHER WAY IT'S 44 LBS PER PERSON. ON A LATER FLT; 61 BAGS; 95 PAX. SAME PLANE WE HAD ALL DAY. THIS LEG WE HAD SPDS THAT WERE RIGHT ON THE MONEY. AVERAGES DO WORK; SOME OF THE TIME. THIS SHOULD PRECLUDE THE WRY; 'THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ANGLE OF ATTACK SYS' THAT I GOT FROM ONE PLT WHEN RECOUNTING MY STORY. CREW CHIEFS MUST HAVE SOME KIND OF INCENTIVE TO LOAD THE COMPARTMENTS AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE. HVY WT BAGS ON 1 FLT MUST MAINTAIN THAT STATUS THROUGH TO DEST. NEW AVERAGES MUST BE CALCULATED ON RANDOM FLTS TO VALIDATE THE SPIRIT OF SAFE WT AND BAL PRACTICES. SKY CAPS AND AGENTS AT THE FRONT COUNTERS MUST HAVE INCENTIVE TO CHARGE FOR HVY BAGS; GIVE THEM A BUCK A BAG FOR EVERY ONE THEY TAG OVER 50 LBS. RE-CODE THE BAGS' TAGS TO ALLOW THE WT OF THE BAG TO READ VIA THE BAR CODE. THAT WAY A BAG OF ANY WT MAINTAINS ITS DESIGNATION. INTL BAGS MUST KEEP THEIR STATUS ON DOMESTIC LEGS. THE IDEA THAT A 'LOAD AUDIT' WILL CORRECT THESE PROBS ONLY COUNTS BAGS; IT DOESN'T WEIGH THEM; OR THE PAX AND THEIR CARRY-ON'S.