for 700 may not be 1843-558 (1285), but the actual figure of 1294, which is enough of a difference to cause an insurance company to have qualms about paying up in an accident. Basic Weight is that on the Weight and Centre of Gravity Schedule (in the Flight Manual), which must be established by actual weighing before the machine is used for commercial air transport, and reweighing every 4 years, unless fleet masses are used, in which case try every 9 years. The figures are used to calculate a DOM (Dry Operating Mass) and CG for each machine or fleet, as appropriate. Note: Newer documentation uses the word Mass instead of Weight. The Maximum Taxi (Ramp) Weight (Mass) is the max permitted weight at which the aircraft may be moved, under its own power or otherwise. The Maximum Takeoff Weight (Mass) is that in the Flight Manual, which is not necessarily the Maximum Permitted Takeoff Weight, or Maximum Structural Takeoff Mass, the max weight at the start of the take-off run that varies due to performance factors such as length and slope of runway, temperature, humidity, obstacles and altitude. Any maximum take-off weight less than the full maximum due to performance factors is known as the Restricted (or Regulated) Takeoff Weight (RTOW) and is the starting point for calculating maximum payload available. Sometimes, RTOW is the same as MTOW, but this will only tend to happen at larger airfields or landing sites with plenty of room. Maximum Taxi 78 Operational Flying Weight can therefore be higher than Maximum Takeoff Weight, and you should be able to burn off the difference before getting airborne. It’s well known that all aircraft will fly overweight to a certain extent, if only because there’s a tolerance range in the performance figures– ferry flights frequently do so, with the extra weight being fuel, but having the physical ability doesn’t mean that you should. You will at some stage be under some pressure to take an extra bit of baggage or top up with that bit of fuel that will save you making a stop en route, but consider the implications. Firstly, any insurance cover will be invalid if you don’t fly the aircraft within the limits of the flight manual, and, secondly, you will be leaving yourself nothing in hand for turbulence and the like, which will increase your weight artificially. The designer will have allowed for 60-degree turns all the way up to MAUW, but not heavier than that. Maximum Structural Landing Mass (Max Landing Weight) speaks for itself, and is there to help prevent the impact with the runway being transmitted through the undercarriage to the rest of the aircraft, which can only happen if the weight is kept within certain limits (it also assists you to reduce the downward velocity at the point of landing, such as with autorotations in a helicopter). This |