Yesterday the FAA released Notice 8400.84, Weight and Balance Operations Specifications, applicable to Part 121 and Part 135 air carriers. The Notice was issued to provide guidance to principal operations inspectors (POI’s) in reviewing Part 121 and Part 135 operations specifications (OpSpecs) weight and balance authorizations. The Notice requires that operators comply with the newest revision of the weight and balance advisory circular, AC 120-27E Aircraft Weight and Balance Control. It is important to note that “weight and balance programs authorized under AC 120-27C, other than actual weights, are not in compliance with the guidelines of AC 120-27E” and “OpSpecs must be issued by August 11, 2005, to comply with AC 120-27E.”
For all operators who have not yet been authorized a weight and balance program in accordance with AC 120-27E, POI’s must provide a copy of the Notice to them no later than August 4, 2005. All operators who are not in compliance with AC 120-27E by August 11, 2005 will have to use actual passenger and bag weights in their weight and balance calculations. To implement this, the operator’s POI “must issue OpSpec A096 revision 1.0 and coordinate with the principal maintenance inspector (PMI) to issue OpSpec E096 revision 3.0 to use actual weights.”
For further information, operators should review the Notice, AC 120-27E or discuss the matter with their POI.
