Application Note: Platform Weighing of Narrowbody Aircraft by an MRO
Category: Aviation
February 6, 2019
For weight and balance subsequent to aircraft maintenance, commercial aircraft can be be weighed by either top-of-jack or platform scales. To compare tail number weighings across different locations, an airline customer requested standardization of weighing techniques for their aircraft, compelling AAR to add platform scale weighing capabilities to their Duluth, MN facility.“Years of successful weighing experience with Intercomp AC30-60™ platform scales led to the request for the same scales. After discussions, AAR determined the AC40-LP™ low-profile scales were the ideal fit for the narrow-body weighing needs of the Duluth location.”
J. Arnold, Aviation Application Engineer
Having weighed aircraft on Intercomp products since the 1990’s, AAR has experience with the long-term reliability provided by Intercomp aircraft scales. As they provide airframe maintenance for Airbus A320 family aircraft in Duluth, MN, this led to choosing the AC40-LP™ low-profile scale to standardize reporting on platform scale weighings.
Selection of the AC40-LP™ was based on several factors. The low scale height minimized the towing distance, saving space in a hangar where multiple aircraft are serviced. With different maintenance operations occurring on multiple aircraft in the same space, intrinsically safe certified scales satisfy OSHA safety standards for operation in aircraft hangar environments. Further, proximity of the Duluth location to Intercomp’s headquarters in Minneapolis, MN enabled local support and training when bringing the new weighing capabilities in-house.
AAR is an independent provider of aviation services to commercial and government customers in more than 100 countries. Using Intercomp scales for all types of aircraft, their historical use takes advantage of the fully-electronic GaugeSense™ technology which delivers accurate and repeatable weighing results for the MRO and their customers. Whether weighed in the Duluth location, or at other airframe maintenance centers, AAR provides the airline with standardized platform weighing reports that rely on decades of repeatability, and reliability, of Intercomp aircraft scales.
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