Flight Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 — Page 125, Lesson 141

We're starting a new part of the book now — the index. This is the alphabetical listing of every topic we'll cover in the mass and balance and performance syllabus. I want to walk you through the entries we have here, because each one is a technical term you'll need to know cold. Let's start with the F section. Flight Manual — that's the official document for the aircraft, the one that contains all the approved limitations and performance data. It's the legal source of truth for how the aeroplane may be operated. Floor Loading — this is about how much weight per unit area the cabin floor can take, which matters when you're positioning cargo or heavy items. Food and Duty Free Trolleys — these are the galley carts, and they have their own mass and centre of gravity considerations when they're loaded and moved around the cabin. Fuel Load Definitions — this is the set of standard terms that define how fuel is accounted for, like ramp fuel, trip fuel, and reserve fuel. Moving to G. Gallons — that's a unit of volume for fuel, and you'll see it alongside other volume units. Glide Angle — this is the angle of descent when the aircraft is gliding without power, and it's a performance parameter. Graphical Presentation — this refers to the charts and graphs used to present mass and balance data visually. Now the H section. Hydrostatic Units — this is a term for the density of fuel, and it's used when you're converting between volume and mass. Fuel density is critical because you load fuel by volume but you need to know its mass. K section. Kilograms — the standard unit of mass in aviation. L section is a big one. Landing CG — that's the centre of gravity position at the moment of landing, which must be within limits. Last minute change — this is a small adjustment to the load made just before departure, and it has to be accounted for in the final balance calculation. Light Twin Piston / Propeller Aircraft (MEP1) — this is a category of aeroplane, a multi-engine piston aircraft, and it has its own specific mass and balance procedures. Limitations — these are the certified operating limits, like maximum take-off mass and centre of gravity range. Limitations for JAR - Medium Range Twin Jet — this is the same concept but for a medium-range twin-jet aeroplane, certified under the JAR regulations. Linear / Running Loads — this is a load that's distributed along a length, like a load spread over a section of floor, expressed as weight per unit length. List of Basic Equipment — this is the inventory of standard equipment fitted to the aircraft, and its mass is part of the basic empty mass. Litres — another unit of volume for fuel. Load and Trim Sheet (MRJT1) — this is the document used to calculate the load and the resulting centre of gravity for a specific medium-range twin jet. Loaded Mass and CG Position for Light Aircraft — this is the calculation for smaller aeroplanes, showing the total mass and where the centre of gravity sits. Loading Index — this is a number used to simplify centre of gravity calculations; it's a way of expressing the moment without using huge numbers. Loading Manifest - MRJT1 — this is the official record of the load for that same twin jet. Load Spreaders — these are devices used to distribute a heavy load over a larger floor area so you don't exceed the floor loading limit. Longitudinal Axis (Centre Line) — this is the fore-and-aft axis of the aircraft, running from nose to tail, and it's the reference for centre of gravity position. Longitudinal Stability — this is the aircraft's tendency to return to its trimmed attitude after a disturbance, and it's directly affected by the centre of gravity position. That's the full index for these letters. Each of these entries is a topic we'll dig into properly as we go through the book.