"Sport Pilot" wrote in
ups.com:

Skywise wrote:
"Sport Pilot" wrote in
news:1118415441.605435.128770 @g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Snipola
Not too dificult to be over gross withoug knowing it. Do you think
all passengers know their weight or are honest about it? Do you
think the 170 pound per person rule of thumb is very accurate? Do
you think the passengers know the weight of their baggage?

I thought we were talking about private light GA, not commercial
airlines.

You never took your friends or their luggage? My wife has never told
me how much she weighs.

First, I'm not a pilot...yet. I hope to get my license but the
opportunity just hasn't prevailed itself upon me yet.

If there is one thing I've learned in the few months that I've been
reading this newsgroup is that the pilot is ultimately responsible
for the safety of the flight. Knowing the weight of your passengers
and cargo is part of your duty as pilot in command, is it not?

I would simply explain that I must know my passengers weight in
order make sure that we have a safe flight. If need be, I'd even
try explain some of the issues that could arise from not making a
proper weight calculation. If they still seem a little embarrassed
I'd promise not to tell anyone. It's simply for the safety of the
flight.

I would hate to think knowing all this a person would be so vain
that they would willingly choose weight over safety.


But even so, that's even more reason to be sure you don't break the
rules because you have a responsibility to others lives. If someone
wants to bend/break the rules at the risk of their own life, fine, be
a darwin award candidate. We dont' need them in the gene pool. But
don't risk other's lives while you're at it.

As I said anyone could break the rule and not even know it.
Snipola

There's always going to be things that can happen that are beyond ones
control, but that's no excuse for CHOOSING to ignore something that has
an affect on flight safety. Perhaps having an exact weight is not as
critical for a large airliner but is it not potentially critical for
something small like a 170?

As I said, better safe than sorry. Flying isn't like driving. You
can't just pull over in the sky to fix something that goes wrong.

Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism

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