Weighing During Testing of Scaled Composite’s Stratolaunch Aircraft
Weighing the Stratolaunch, the aircraft with the largest wingspan in the world, occurs during development and testing, with empty, full, or partially filled fuel tanks. Working around fueled aircraft requires certified equipment to ensure fire prevention safety, and Scaled Composites looked for these features when evaluating platform scale systems. Intercomp aircraft platform scales maintain intrinsically safe certifications by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) to meet the safety requirements for weighing in aircraft hangars. This allows aircraft with fuel or fumes present, or in other operations where they may be potentially present in paint hangars or de-fueling operations, to meet either US or international safety standards for electrical equipment.
Stratolaunch and Scaled Composites evaluated several platform scale systems before selecting Intercomp’s AC60-LP™ low-profile platform scales. These scales are commonly used for weighing narrow and widebody aircraft, or even the unique dual-fuselage 28-wheel configuration the Stratolaunch presents to their weighing team. The structure of the aircraft required multiple CG calculations for the fuselages, and the aircraft as a whole, with the one-of-a-kind gear configuration.
For almost 20 years, RQ-4 UAVs have been weighed on Intercomp’s Intrinsically Safe low-profile platform scales. Certified Intrinsically Safe scales, which meet worldwide safety standards for aircraft hangars, provide highly accurate weight and balance data for the fueled aircraft. When part of the modifications for the RQ-4 Block 30/40 aircraft included changing the main landing gear from dual to single wheel mains, the scale systems were updated to meet the new requirements.
Using AC15-LP™ and AC40-LPDW™ Intrinsically Safe low-profile aircraft scales, operators require only three scales to weight the RQ-4. Intercomp scale systems provide accuracy, portability and safety wherever the missions take the RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV.
Proper operation of aircraft platform scales and top-of-jack weighing systems requires calibration at regular intervals with a force measurement system (calibration press.) In addition to airframe manufacturers, airlines, and MROs around the world using Intercomp’s equipment, the United States Air Force (USAF) chose Intercomp’s Automated Calibration Press for operation within their Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratories (PMEL).
Taking advantage of the rapid scale calibration and software documentation capabilities of the Calibration Press Systems, PMEL labs use the database to monitor and track the ongoing performance of their weighing equipment in the field. The NIST traceable load cells along with the robust construction of the calibration press table and hydraulic ram mount used in Intercomp calibration press systems ensure the most accurate calibrations for the scale industry today.
Airframe manufacturers rely on Intercomp weight and balance equipment for accurate weighings prior to delivery to their customers. Final production of the world’s largest commercial aircraft, the Airbus A380, is located in Hamburg, Germany, along with assembly of several other Airbus models.
Airbus and Intercomp have been partners in supplying and using aircraft platform scales after final assembly for over a decade. Utilizing a version of the AC30-60™ platform scale, the high-capacity aircraft scale provides Airbus the most accurate fully electronic weighing technology on the market today.
Lockheed Martin Chooses Intercomp Scales to Weigh F-35
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, the prime contractor who performs final assembly for the F-35 Lightning II in the United States, uses Intercomp weighing systems in production and for in-service weighings of the combat aircraft. Lockheed Martin chose Intercomp technology for its successful history of accuracy and repeatability for weighing aircraft.
As the F-35 deployments increase at sites worldwide, Intercomp aircraft scales are used to assist maintenance to keep the aircraft mission ready.
Weight and balance operations aren’t limited to air-breathing propulsion airframes alone. NASA employed Intercomp High-Capacity Platform Scales for the Space Shuttle Orbiter acquiring weight and balance information between missions. With orbiter modifications and refits as the technology developed, acquiring and documenting accurate weights with Intercomp scales provided engineers with valuable information throughout the program.
Fun fact: The movie “Armageddon” starring Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck was shot on location at Cape Canaveral in actual NASA facilities. As the characters walk through a NASA hangar, carts with Intercomp platform scales can be viewed in one of the scenes.
When constructing their new production facility for the A319, A320, and A321 models in Mobile, Alabama, Airbus partners with Intercomp for equipment to supply accurate weight and balance equipment prior to airframe delivery. Single aisle aircraft manufactured in this facility are weighed on Intercomp scales prior to delivery to the customers.
At the fourth production location Intercomp has supplied Airbus with aircraft platform scales, Intercomp continues to provide the most accurate fully electronic aircraft scales to one of the premier aircraft manufacturers in the world.
American Airlines Has 25-Year History with Intercomp
For 25 years, American Airlines has taken advantage of Intercomp’s accurate and repeatable load cell technology. In 2016, they acquired AC60-LP™ Low-Profile High Capacity platform scale systems. Utilizing Intercomp GaugeSense shear-beam load cell technology, the AC60-LP™ scales eliminate the scale warm up time, the need for centering of tires, and reduce time between weighings. These scales can be used across the entire range of American’s narrowbody and widebody fleet.
In addition to using our scale systems, American Airlines also chose an Intercomp Calibration Press to insure the most accurate calibration in the scale industry.
Intercomp works with customers in many locations around the world. Over the decades of experience with users of weighing equipment, Intercomp rises to meet any challenge presented to us by our customers to meet their weight and balance needs.
In association with the four nation Eurofighter project, Intercomp developed a custom built Jack Weigh system that allowed military personnel from all backgrounds, cultures and languages to successful weigh the Eurofighter. The system incorporated specific software instructions enabling an error free weighing to be achieved each and every time.
Southwest Airlines, operating their exclusively B737 fleet, uses Intercomp AC40-LP™ scales for aircraft weight and balance at five different locations. The AC40-LP™ scale is single person portable and designed to eliminate the need for long ramps and reduces overall towing distance. Intercomp ACWeigh™ software on PC is used to operate the scale systems and store the weighing information so it is readily available for Southwest users to access from any location.
To weigh aircraft of various sizes, Intercomp has platform scales to weigh almost any size of airframe. For Pilatus, the requirement was to weigh models within their fleet of single engine turboprop aircraft they manufacture.
In addition to other airframe manufacturers in Europe that use Intercomp scales, the Swiss-based single engine turboprop aircraft manufacturer weighs all their aircraft utilizing our low profile weighing scale range.
When Sukhoi designed and built a commercial regional jet, it required western certification in order to be used and sold worldwide. To accomplish the task, Sukhoi turned to the world leader in aircraft weight and balance.
Providing scales that employ technology designed to meet worldwide standards for accurate weighings, Intercomp was able to supply equipment to enable Sukhoi to achieve this task.
Qantas Airways Weighs Their Fleet with Intercomp Aircraft Scales
Qantas Airways, the largest airline in Australia and the third oldest airline in the world, weighs their aircraft fleet with Intercomp aircraft scales. Qantas is unique in that they transport their weighing systems to different locations for aircraft weighings. Intercomp scales ruggedness and quality of design helps maintain the scales’ calibration and accuracy even after transport.
When scales do require recalibration, Qantas uses an Intercomp Force Calibration Press for rapid recalibration with load cells that are directly traceable to NIST, to ensure the most accurate and reproducible weighings with aircraft weight and balance systems
China Eastern Airlines Chooses Intercomp Aircraft Scales
China Eastern, operators of the largest aircraft fleet in China, understands the importance of reliability, repeatability and accuracy in their aircraft scales, which is why they choose Intercomp platform scale systems.
Their long history with Intercomp scales demonstrates through experience the benefits of Intercomp’s fully electronic, shear beam load cell technology to achieve better repeatability and remain in tolerance after calibration.
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