Feb. 3, 2014
NBAA on Jan. 31 submitted comments to the Federal Aviation Administration’s draft version of advisory circular 120-27F, Aircraft Weight and Balance Control.
This version of the advisory circular no longer contains provisions allowing operators the use of standard average passenger and baggage weights that the FAA has published in previous versions of this advisory circular, and which are used by many business aviation operators.
Instead, the new version would require operators to use actual weights of passengers and bags or conduct a survey to develop average weights for each operator. The option for operators to conduct passenger surveys to develop their own average weights typically requires years to do, and the proposal would require operators to repeat the survey every three years.
NBAA has repeatedly expressed its concerns to the FAA about this proposed change, first announced in May 2013, and subsequently put in writing with the release of the draft version of advisory circular 120-27F in November 2013.
NBAA and other industry representatives met with FAA in mid-November and will continue to seek appropriate resolution to this proposed policy change.
Review NBAA’s Comments on draft FAA Advisory Circular 120-27F (5 KB, PDF)
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.