Passenger Weight Research Articles

Analisis Perhitungan Weight And Balance pada Loadsheet dalam Menunjang Keselamatan Penerbangan pada Maskapai Air Asia di Bandar Udara Husein Sastranegara Bandung

The importance of calculating weight and balance on an aircraft to support flight safety is something that must be done by service providers. Mistakes in calculating weight distribution can cause overloads that risk endangering the safety of passengers, crew, and the aircraft itself. This study was conducted at AirAsia Airlines with a focus on the Airbus A320 aircraft at Husein Sastranegara Airport, Bandung. The study used a quantitative method with primary and secondary data collection. Primary data was collected through direct observation in the field, while secondary data was obtained from documents, journals, and related literature. This study analyzed data related to aircraft weight, fuel, passengers, baggage, and cargo to calculate weight and balance on the loadsheet. The results of this study indicate that calculating weight and balance on loadsheets is an important process in ensuring flight safety. Steps involving calculating the weight of passengers, baggage, cargo, fuel, and the distribution of the aircraft's center of gravity ensure that the aircraft operates within the safe limits set by the manufacturer. Based on the analysis of passenger, baggage, cargo, and fuel data, the Zero Fuel Weight (ZFW) was 60,516 kg, Takeoff Weight (TOW) was 67,516 kg, and Landing Weight (LW) was 62,516 kg. All of these parameters are within the specified safe limits. Load management on an Air Asia A320 aircraft when overloading requires special attention to parameters such as Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW), Maximum Landing Weight (MLW), and Maximum Landing Weight (MZFW). If an overload occurs, as recorded on the fourth day in Hold 5, the solution that can be taken is to reduce the cargo load on that Hold. For the situation on the fifth day, where the Landing Weight (LW) exceeds the MTOW, the right step is to reduce the amount of fuel.

Robust H∞ Control Design for Improving Handling and Ride Comfort in Semi-Active Suspension Systems

This study investigates the application of robust H∞ control design for semiactive suspension systems. The goal is to achieve a balance between ride comfort and handling. A quarter-car model is used to simulate the system's dynamics. The findings demonstrate that the robust H∞ control approach with μ-synthesis offers significant advantages compared to traditional passive control and nominal H∞ control methods. When compared to the passive system, the robust H∞ controller with μ-synthesis results in a 50% reduction in body displacement (from 0.04 meters to 0.02 meters) during a simulated road bump. It also achieves a 25% reduction in peak body acceleration (from 4 m/s² to 3 m/s²) and a 37.5% reduction in suspension deflection (from 0.04 meters to 0.025 meters). These improvements translate to a smoother ride with less body movement and improved handling due to better tire contact with the road. The μ-synthesis method specifically addresses uncertainties like passenger weight and road conditions. This leads to more consistent performance in real-world driving scenarios. Overall, this study highlights the effectiveness of robust H∞ control design in achieving a well-balanced suspension system that enhances both ride comfort and handling.

Uncertainty Analysis of Aircraft Center of Gravity Deviation and Passenger Seat Allocation Optimization

The traditional method of allocating passenger seats based on compartments does not effectively manage an aircraft’s center of gravity (CG), resulting in a notable divergence from the desired target CG (TCG). In this work, the Boeing B737-800 aircraft was employed as a case study, and row-based and compartment-based integer programming models for passenger allocation were examined and constructed with the aim of addressing the current situation. The accuracy of CG control was evaluated by comparing the row-based and compartment-based allocation techniques, taking into account different bodyweights and numbers of passengers. The key contribution of this research is to broaden the range of the mobilizable set for the aviation weight and balance (AWB) model, resulting in a significant reduction in the range of deviations in the center of gravity outcomes by a factor of around 6 to 16. The effectiveness of the row-based allocation approach and the impact of passenger weight randomness on the deviation of an airplane’s CG were also investigated in this study. The Monte Carlo method was utilized to quantify the uncertainty associated with passenger weight, resulting in the generation of the posterior distribution of the aircraft’s center of gravity (CG) deviation. The outcome of the row-based model test is the determination of the range of passenger numbers that can be effectively allocated under different TCG conditions.

It Comes with Baggage: The Heavy Weight Implications of Weighing Airline Passengers

The aviation industry is one of the most regulated industries that exists in modern society. Before an airplane can take a passenger from one destination to another, diligent and thorough checks are performed on the aircraft, the runway, the pilots, the crewmembers, the luggage, the route, and the numerous other points of potential risk. Due in part to this diligence, air travel is also one of the safest forms of travel. However, one point of potential risk that is underregulated and overlooked in the safety calculation is the weight of the passengers. The act of weighing passengers is not just another task that can be added to the preflight safety checklist—it is an act which carries its own emotionally charged, hotly debated baggage. There is a growing trend in the airline industry of collecting and considering actual passenger weights before flights, as opposed to estimated weights. Punchy headlines litter the news warning airline customers that they may have to step on a scale before their next flight. Airline customers and internet heroes take to the comments to criticize the trend. They use words like “discriminating,” “embarrassing,” and even “violating.” But beyond the splashy headlines and hostile reactions lies a more complex issue—one that airlines will need to grapple with in the near future as the obesity epidemic continues to rage. This Comment begins by laying the foundation of the laws governing American air travel and provides background on airlines’ collection, use, and estimation of passenger weight in their weight and balance control calculations. Next, it discusses the benefits of such data to the airline and the passengers, and the liability exposure of the pilot, airline, and airplane manufacturer in the event of an error in a weight and balance calculation. Then, it analyzes the privacy and public relations implications of collecting weights on passengers. Finally, it provides recommendations for safely navigating this minefield issue.

Enhancing vehicle wheel suspension test equipment through Taguchi method for optimization

The study demonstrates a significant advancement in vehicle suspension testing by utilizing the Taguchi method for optimization. The suspension system determines a vehicle’s performance, directly affecting ride comfort, handling, and safety. The research presented in this study highlights a potentially effective method for enhancing suspension testing. The research systematically investigates the complex network of factors influencing suspension behavior using the Taguchi method, a robust optimization technique. The analysis includes examining road surface conditions, passenger weight variations, and tire pressure fluctuations. The objective is to design a suspension system that provides both comfort and stability without making any concessions, regardless of the obstacles encountered on the road. The car utilized for this research is an Altis sedan equipped with tires with a 205/55 R16 profile. The study’s findings indicate that factor A, which represents embankment height, significantly impacts 56 % of road irregularity management and the maintenance of a stable driving experience. The dynamic load factor (Factor D) contributes significantly to the vehicle’s overall stability and ride quality, accounting for 43 % in different scenarios. Based on the given framework, it can be observed that the variables B (tire pressure) and C (passenger weight) significantly influence suspension vibration, resulting in a reduction of below 0.1 %. While the research results presented here only cover a subset of automobiles, the methodology employed can be used to deal with similar problems in other vehicles.

MULTIBODY SIMULATION ANALYSIS OF A MONORAIL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Multibody simulation enables engineers to examine and investigate the kinematic and dynamic motion of mechanical systems, allowing them to construct and develop virtual 3D models to simulate and illustrate motion, coupling forces and stresses. The purpose of this study is to analyse kinematic and dynamic characteristics of a monorail for urban transportation systems. The monorail will go through three simulations in Solidworks. The first simulation is motion analysis by moving along a straight and curved track under low-speed (10 m/s), medium speed (15 m/s) and high speed and (20 m/s). Next, static analysis due to weight of passengers and car body and finally the last simulation is dynamic analysis due to dynamic loads occurring at the stabilizing wheel. The collected result will then be compared with past studies to validate the multibody simulation. Most dynamic and kinematic characteristics show slightly similarity and some dynamic and kinematic characteristics turn out differently. The different characteristics are due to Solidworks errors during the simulation process..

The random dynamic performances of EMUs with polygonal damages

Polygonalization is a typical non-uniform wear phenomenon that affects the performance and comfort of the vehicle/track system. Therefore, the vehicle system performance could be strictly troubled by polygonal damage close to the wheel circumference at the wheel/rail contact. A 3D vehicle/track an EMU type train consisting of 8 coupled vehicles model has been established. The coupled model car body and bogie frame are considered rigid and integrated with the flexible wheelset, rail, and slab track to investigate the elastic deformation caused by the impact load induced by the wheel polygonalization. The flexible track can be incorporated into the multi-body vehicle model using the movable reference frame formulation. Uncertainty parameters are presented, such as passenger weight, wind force, coefficient friction, and suspension variation. The proposed research is validated based on the existing research work and shows excellent agreement. The simulation result deliberated the vertical wheel-rail force, wheelset acceleration, rail acceleration, rail displacement, and slab track acceleration. The results of this study show that as the wheel polygonal damage amplitude increase, the value of wheel/rail normal forces and the dynamic vibrational response of the wheelset axle increase. Additionally, polygonal wear-induced impact stresses may cause the wheelset axle to resonate. When wheel polygonal damage amplitude and uncertainty parameters are corporate into the system dynamics, the maximum magnitude of the wheelset, rail, and slab track acceleration increases. Besides, the train failure degree is comparable to the polygonised wheel harmonic order, defect parameters, and amplitude of out-of-roundness.

Don't "Weight" to Board

Airlines overestimate the weight of their passengers by simply assigning a constant weight for everyone, causing each plane to burn more fuel than needed to carry the extra weight. Accurately estimating the passenger weights is a difficult problem for airlines as naively weighing all passengers with scales is impractical in already busy airports. Hence, we propose CamScale, a novel vision-based weight inference system that is augmented by an off-the-shelf viscoelastic mat (e.g., memory foam mat). CamScale takes the video feed of the mat placed on the floor as the passengers walk over it. It utilizes the inherent strain, or deformation of the mat due to the passengers' footsteps to infer their weights. CamScale is advantageous because it does not incur additional weighing time, while being cost-effective and accurate. We evaluate CamScale through real-world experiments by deploying RGB and infrared cameras and inviting 36 participants to walk a total of more than 17,000 steps over viscoelastic mats, equivalent to walking approximately 13.1 km. We demonstrate that CamScale is able to accurately estimate an individual's weight with an average error of 1.12 kg.

EVALUATION OF TIME LOSS DUE TO UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF RAILWAY PASSENGERS GETTING ON AND OFF

Abstract. The behavior of train passengers when selecting a carriage was modeled using five explanatory variables. Using passenger numbers estimated by measuring the total weight of passengers using air suspension pressure gauges, the model parameters were estimated, and the accuracy of the model was validated. From the estimated parameters, we analyzed the ability of the explanatory variables to account for passenger behavior depending on the direction of travel and the time of day. Finally, we estimated the spatiotemporal distribution of passengers on each platform using this model, and discussed the time lost due to the non-uniform distribution of passengers when boarding and alighting from the train.

(Digital Presentation) Using Simulations to Determine the Effects of the Lithium-Ion Battery Pack Sizes on Performance of Electric Vehicles

Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles have a longer driving range with a full tank of gas than lithium-ion battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs). Alongside having a higher purchase cost and a lack of charging infrastructure, the range of EVs is a large deterrent to potential buyers. One solution to increasing the range of EVs is using a battery pack with a higher capacity. However, increasing the capacity typically involves an increase in lithium-ion battery cells, which leads to a higher weight, higher vehicle cost, lower energy efficiency, and higher battery charging time. In addition, regenerative braking recovers the vehicle's kinetic energy which is related to speed and weight. To find the optimal battery pack size, a numeric road test simulation can be used to determine how battery pack size affects energy efficiency, driving range, charging time, and cost. This is more optimal than a real-life road test since inconsistent variables like traffic conditions and weather can be controlled. This paper applies work-energy mathematic modeling of an electric vehicle under different EPA dynamometer driving schedules to investigate the problem proposed above, using an EV model with 21700 type lithium-ion cells. In addition, total vehicle weight, motor efficiency, wheel sizes/weight, and the weight of passengers will also be considered. The simulation revealed that when the total vehicle weight reaches a certain point, it can regenerate significant kinetic energy back to the battery pack to increase the range. Figure 1

Effect of the combined centre of gravity height on the ride comfort of suspended monorail train under crosswinds

The combined centre of gravity (CCOG) height of a suspended monorail train may have a certain influence on the centrifugal forces acting on the train under crosswinds, and changes in centrifugal forces will further affect the dynamic interactions among the crosswind, the vehicle and the bridge subsystem. To investigate the effect of CCOG height on the dynamic behaviour of the train, this paper proposes an improved wind-vehicle-bridge coupling dynamics model considering the CCOG height for the suspended monorail system, in which the uneven passenger weight distribution is simulated with various vehicle parameters, and the aerodynamic wind forces acting on the running vehicles and bridge are simulated considering the effect of resultant wind yaw angle. The influences of passenger number, wind velocity, and vehicle speed on the dynamic behaviours of suspended monorail trains are also explored. The results indicate that the suspended monorail train has a certain self-balancing ability due to its unique structure type, which causes the lateral responses of the car body to attenuate with the increasing car weight. In addition, it is conservative to not consider the effect of CCOG height in the lateral ride comfort evaluation of the suspended monorail train subject to crosswinds.

The Performance Analysis of Beibu Gulf airlines Based on DEA Model during the Pre-COVID-19 Pandemic Period

During the COVID-19 pandemic period, all airlines experienced a severe impact and the route operating cost is very susceptible to the impact of flight duration and aviation fuel prices. This paper analyzes the operation performance of Beibu Gulf airlines (low cost airline company) with data envelopment analysis CCR model in pre-COVID-19 pandemic period. Under the domestic vigorous promotion of tourism development and people's huge demand for travel, the airlines in mainland China continue rapid development, which accelerates the emergence of local airlines other than the four major airlines and leads to increasingly fierce operation competition in the civil aviation industry. Behind the competition among airlines, the operational performance of airlines can best reflect the company's development status. In this context, airlines should choose appropriate operational strategies to strengthen its competitiveness and operational capabilities. The DEA model is a mature input-output research tool, and there have been many studies related to operational performance of the aviation industry. By using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) solver software, the input and output indicators from 2017 to 2019 are analyzed. Preliminary results show that routes and oil price factors have not reached effective status. Beibu Gulf Airlines gradually shifts to low-cost mode, the faced challenges are as follows: 1. The competition among domestic low-cost airlines; 2. The current poor overall service quality of low-cost airlines as evaluated by customers; 3. How to arrange routes, flight, service strategy, etc. Airbus uses enhanced aviation systems for this series of aircraft to improve the overall reliability of the aircraft, reduce maintenance and spare parts costs, thus helping airlines greatly reduce maintenance costs, which is very beneficial to low-cost airlines. Based on this, this paper puts forward some suggestions, such as optimizing routes, developing feeder flights in second tier cities of popular destinations, controlling fuel costs, making low-cost aviation fuel reserves, reducing the weight of passengers' carry-on luggage or charging additional baggage charges.

Mechanical strength study of Off-Road vehicle chassis body materials

The design and development of vehicle chassis is essential part of automobile production sector because the vehicle self-weight and entire external load (including passenger weight) are built on the chassis frame. The chassis is a significant integral part of the vehicle. The design and development of Off-road vehicle (ORV) are to be influenced by design criteria, its material selection, and components convenience. This paper is covering the material behaviour study of ORV chassis in terms of mechanical strength, durability, fatigue, etc. The result of proposed work is get the best techniques to build the safest roll cage (RC) as per material selection, designing, ergonomics, manufacturability and different parameters that have to be kept in intellect whereas planning an off-road vehicle. This venture will accomplish an off-road vehicle that looks aggressive and at the same time keeps the driver and other crucial constituents like motor, powertrain etc. unharmed interior of the RC. The 22 commercial engineering materials have been investigated for chassis development, mainly AISI 4130 material is most popular due to high tensile strength in all available materials. The ANSYS model of tubular chassis frame has been demonstrated in terms of front, side and rare impact load according to SAE vehicle development norms.

Measuring the Service Quality of Urban Rail Transit Based on Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Model

The service quality is a key driving factor of passengers’ intention of reusing the urban rail transit. Developing and using multi-criteria evaluation models to prioritize rail transit service quality is important for promoting sustainable development of urban rail transit. This paper involves a multi-attribute group decision making model which aims to assess the service quality for the urban rail transit, the assessment is mainly build on the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy value. We also establish the model to identify and confirm the optimal weights of attribute with the principle of maximum entropy. Taking Tianjin urban rail transit, which contains six lines, as an example, a comprehensive analysis for the service quality of the urban rail transit lines were conducted. The research shows that the line M3 owns the highest level of service quality, while the lowest service quality level is line M9. Meanwhile, the result shows that the process of decision making is not comparatively sensitive with the weight of passengers. The results can promote the operator of urban rail transit to identify their advantages and disadvantages in specific areas of passenger service and the improvement of service quality in the future.

Measuring the Service Quality of Urban Rail Transit Based on Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Model

The service quality is a key driving factor of passengers' intention of reusing the urban rail transit. Developing and using multi-criteria evaluation models to prioritize rail transit service quality is important for promoting sustainable development of urban rail transit. This paper involves a multi-attribute group decision making model which aims to assess the service quality for the urban rail transit, the assessment is mainly build on the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy value. We also establish the model to identify and confirm the optimal weights of attribute with the principle of maximum entropy. Taking Tianjin urban rail transit, which contains six lines, as an example, a comprehensive analysis for the service quality of the urban rail transit lines were conducted. The research shows that the line M3 owns the highest level of service quality, while the lowest service quality level is line M9. Meanwhile, the result shows that the process of decision making is not comparatively sensitive with the weight of passengers. The results can promote the operator of urban rail transit to identify their advantages and disadvantages in specific areas of passenger service and the improvement of service quality in the future.

Dynamic Monitoring of the Effect of Passenger Occupancy on the Vehicle Center of Gravity (CG) In a Lightweight Electric Vehicle

In lightweight vehicles, the passenger weight has a substantial contribution to the vehicle gross weight. This paper presents a simulation, evaluation, and application of vehicle model developed to estimate the shift in the center of gravity (CG) of the vehicle on various terrains, driving conditions and different passenger occupancy combinations. The designed Neighbourhood Electric Vehicle (NEV) comprises various sensors including load sensors and speed sensors at each wheel. Vehicle dynamics is influenced by various factor like speed, goad grade, lateral acceleration, longitudinal acceleration, passenger occupancy, etc. Here a simple model has been presented where the movement of the vehicle CG is mapped based on the load experienced by each wheel in dynamic driving conditions. The wheel forces are used to identify the instantaneous CG by virtue of a system identifier on board the vehicle. The validation of the proposed model has been done on a lightweight NEV. In addition, several simulations have been carried out to illustrate the effect on vehicle dynamic stability. It was found that the passenger occupancy status can influence vehicle performance and handling to a large extent.

Analysis of The Influence of Loading Variations Toward Brushless Direct Current Motor Performance on KARLING Electric Vehicle

One type of electrical motors often used for electric vehicle purposes is Brushless Direct Current Motor (BLDC Motor). BLDC motor performance can be seen from its current line, electromagnetic torque, rotational speed, induction voltage, and input power as the parameters. The research’s aim is to find out the effect of loading towards BLDC motor performance on the electric vehicle. The loading variations are used in the form of passenger weight and track characteristics variations. The variation of passengers’ weight is 55 kg, 78 kg, and 143 kg. In this study obtained line current value when the passengers load 143 kg is 41.52 A. Furthermore, the values of the electromagnetic torque and energy consumption in the same weight are 23.88 Nm and 0.06 kWh/km. To ascertain the effect of track characteristics variations to the motor parameter, variations of track characteristics are done in trajectory 0° and 1.25°. The outcome is the 1.25° tilted track has higher energy consumption but lower speed.

Determining of the drive power of a transport machine for disabled persons using a computational model

The article deals with calculation of a stair lift drive and its design. The aim is the determining the necessary power of the used electric motor depending on the variable input values such as a passenger weight, a gradient of the seat lift etc. Calculating the required power for operation of the equipment is essential for selecting the optimal drive motor. In practice, the mathematical-physical principle of solving a problem such as drive calculation is often neglected. This results in the use of excessively powerful propulsion equipment, and thus in excessive financial cost in mass production. Consequently, by designing a drive-train, it will be possible to design the entire drive mechanism, i.e. motor, gearbox, gear module, etc. A significant part of the overall solution will be the design of the shaft for the drive pinion and its analytical dimensional calculation in comparison with the numerical solution. This will fulfil the prerequisites for optimizing the current shaft design by reducing its mass from the current value of 1.185 kg while the safety and reliability conditions of the construction are still met.

Modelling passenger distribution on metro platforms based on passengers’ choices for boarding cars

ABSTRACTMetro capacity should be further improved with growing demand for metros. For metro lines with high-frequency services, the train dwell time is a determinant of the number of trains per hour. Uneven passenger distribution on the platform may cause a longer dwell time, thereby reducing the capacity. This study analyses the mechanism of the passenger distribution on the platform with regard to which cars of a train passengers choose to board. A model has been developed, considering the origin-destination and waiting time of passengers and the platform layouts of the stations where passengers board and alight. The model was calibrated using loadweigh data, which provides the weight of passengers on each car of a train, on the Hammersmith & City line of the London Underground. The largest difference between the actual and modelled average number of boarders on a car is less than 2 passengers, which suggests the model performs well. The results show, at both stations studied, 44% of passengers in the morning peak chose boarding cars based on the layouts of the stations where they alighted. The results would be useful for metro operation planners and station staff to take measures to manage passenger distribution on the platform.

The effects of changing passenger weight on aircraft flight performance

BackgroundGlobal demand for air travel is increasing. Concurrently, the average weight of global population has been rising in the past decades, and this trend is set to persist in the near future. These two issues converge to the inevitable problem of dealing with a combination of increasing passengers on aircraft and their corresponding weight. Most aircraft performance assumptions rely on knowing the weight of the aircraft. However, the precise passenger payload weight is unknown and pilots rely on estimates that are often out of date and may not reflect the current population demography. MethodsThis paper explores the effects an increasing passenger weight payload has on key performance characteristics of commercial aircraft. A passenger demographic model is developed based on varying body mass index levels. Aircraft performance characteristics are determined from established analytical methods to examine three aircraft types. Comparisons are made between standard passenger weights from key aviation regulators around the world with scenarios reflecting various degrees of obesity prevalence. These scenarios are further compared to global variation across different regions around the world. FindingsIn parts of Africa and Asia that have low obesity prevalence but use standard passenger weights are overestimating aircraft performance characteristics, particularly fuel costs. Juxtaposed, regions of higher obesity prevalence such as those encompassing westernised nations may begin to see significantly compromised safety margins if increasing weight trends continue. ConclusionsOverall performance characteristics for any aircraft type considered in this study will be significantly affected should existing obesity growth forecasts for the next decades are proven to be accurate. Thereby, justifying the need for more accurate regulations and improved flight operational procedures.