Skywise wrote:
George Patterson wrote in
news:QJFre.5835$fa3.83@trndny01:

Skywise wrote:

Knowing the weight of your passengers
and cargo is part of your duty as pilot in command, is it not?

Not necessarily. Knowing that the aircraft is at or below MGW and within
the envelope is part of your duty as PIC. If you have enough passengers
and luggage to be close to MGW, then, yes, you need to know the weights.
If not, you don't.

For example, my Maule would carry 560 pounds with full tanks. Going up
with a single passenger, I never had to ask that person what they
weighed. I simply don't know people who weigh well over 350 pounds. I
know that putting more than 210 pounds in the back seat will put me out
of the envelope. If the EAA brings me two typical 10 year olds, I know I
can put them in the back seat with no problems for a Young Eagles
flight, and I can tell that by looking at them.

The only time I needed to know exact weights were when I took my family
on vacations.

George Patterson

I agree with you completely. There are obviously times when knowing
an exact weight is not necessary, but you are still giving the
weight consideration.

Then there are times when knowing exact weights are important.

You are obviously smart enough to know the difference. I was
getting the impression from some posters that they aren't.

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

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Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?


Using 170 pounds per person is supposed to be a legit method of
estimating the weight. Even the FAA doesn't expect you to carry a
scale and weigh the passengers and cargo. Esitmating is supposed to be
legit. So you could underestimate and be over the gross weight.