Gerard M Foley <gfoley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>Has any consideration been given to putting strain gauges on each
>of the landing gear legs and calibrating them so they would
>confirm that weight and balance were within permissible limits
>when the aircraft is at the gate?
>This doesn't seem very expensive, or is it expensive or unworkable?
>
>This could also confirm the fuel loading, thus avoiding any
>repetition of the Gimli glider.
Gerard,
Systems like this were available one or two decades ago, but
they never caught on and I am not sure whether you can still buy
one. As far as I remember though, they used pressure transducers
in the shock absorbers instead of strain gauges.
The problem was that they were not very accurate and good book-
keeping can easily give you a better answer. Shock absorbers have
quite a bit of internal friction and may 'stick'.
It is in fact very difficult to accurately weigh an airplane.
For one thing, you have to do it in a closed hangar to avoid
wind loads.
Strain gauges on landing gear legs may be better then
pressure transducers and coupled with modern electronics might
be worth another try. You have to take side loads into account
too, of course, unless you intend to accurately level the
aircraft.
Kees de Lezenne Coulander
-- =
C.M. de Lezenne Coulander
Aircraft Development and Systems Engineering B.V.
Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
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