Intercomp Customizes Aircraft Scale System for NASA Facility

Category: Aviation

June 23, 2023

Yulista Tactical Services is a small business serving military customers in the aerospace and defense industry across the globe. When their team at the Wallops Flight Facility secured a new contract to support the missions of the US Navy, US Air Force and NASA, with a unique fleet of three aircraft, they reached out to Intercomp for aircraft scales which could meet the accuracy requirements of the contract. NASA aircraft types assigned to Wallops Flight Facility include P-3 Orion, C-130 Hercules, and B-200 King Air.

“The new scales worked great,” declared Robert Kugel, C130 Loadmaster and Mission Manager of Wallops Flight Facility. “I had to perform an impromptu weigh on the P-3 before we sent it out, and the method with the extended overrun ramps was the ‘Bee’s Knees’.”

Yulista first reached out to Intercomp requesting Weight & Balance training for the Loadmaster and Mechanics at the NASA Wallops Island facility. Intercomp’s courses are led by Pat McIntyre, Director of Weight & Balance Training, an instructor with over three decades of weighing experience. Because Pat’s extensive experience with aircraft weighing included direct knowledge of the C-130 aircraft, he was able to make specific suggestions that lead to a customized set of spacers for the AC40-LP™ aircraft weighing system purchased for the facility.

An extended set of spacers was designed for the C-130 that fit that aircraft perfectly. The team could then use the original spacers as overruns to keep their longitudinal level perfect between weighs. According to Loadmaster Kugel, “Everything worked like a charm.” 

The Intercomp AC40-LP™ platform scale offers 0.1% accuracy and the highest levels of repeatability. GaugeSense™ technology eliminates scale warm-up, mitigates side loads and is tolerant to off-center loading, speeding weighings and increasing both productivity and time savings. Yulista also purchased a smaller set of AC15-LP™ low-profile scales for weighing their B-200 aircraft. The AC15-LP™ aircraft scales are used for aircraft with wheel weights up to 15,000 lb (7,500 kg) and offer all the same benefits as the AC40-LP™.

The Weight & Balance Certified team will ensure safety and compliance for future Wallops missions, programs and projects, while Intercomp’s AC40-LP™ and AC15-LP™ aircraft scales provide efficiency, accuracy and reliability for years to come.
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