Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand
2 October 2003
MEDIA RELEASE
Air Passenger Weight Survey
Accurate calculation of the total weight of an aircraft is an essential part of every flight. A balance must be achieved between passengers, baggage, fuel, and freight to ensure the flight is conducted safely.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is about to conduct a survey of air travellers to identify the current average weights for passengers carried in large, medium and small aeroplanes, and helicopters in New Zealand. The results of this survey will form the basis for standard passenger weights that may be used by air operators, as an alternative to actual passenger weights, when calculating the passenger payload.
The Civil Aviation Rules place aircraft involved in air transport operations into three groups. Part 121 governs the operations of large aeroplanes, Part 125 governs the operations of medium size aeroplanes, and Part 135 governs the operations of helicopters and small aeroplanes.
In recent years passenger weight surveys have shown that the current prescribed standard weight of 77 kg is well out of date. This was confirmed in a CAA survey carried out in December 1999. The outcome of that survey showed that the average weight of passengers travelling on the larger Part 121 aeroplanes was 85 kg. As the weight of the general population increases, the number of passengers that can be carried safely may reduce. Changes to the Rules were proposed as a result of this trend, and consultation with the aviation industry began.
For many years international best practice has allowed the use of standardised passenger weights to calculate the takeoff weight of an aircraft. This is based on an assumption that the weights of the individual passengers average out so that the weight limit of the aircraft will not be exceeded when the average weight is used for calculating the passenger payload.
Industry representations to the CAA have questioned the results from the 1999 passenger weight survey. The CAA has decided to carry out a new survey of passenger weights in order to validate, and update, the proposed figures. The new survey will also establish if a variation to the average weight exists between the Part 121, 125 and 135 operating groups.
NFO New Zealand (formally CM Research Associates) will conduct the survey. NFO, the CAA, various aviation operators, and airport companies are working together to ensure the survey causes the least amount of disruption to passenger flows and on-time performance for operators. Other organisations such as the Aviation Industry Association, and the New Zealand Airline PilotsŐ Association, have also been included in the planning of the survey, and have been invited to monitor the conduct of the survey.
The CAA needs the co-operation of at least 6000 passengers to get a large enough sample to determine the standard weight. Passengers will simply be asked to stand on a set of scales. Only the weight will be recorded, names are not required, and passengers have the option of refusing.
To ensure a random sample, it is hoped to weigh every third passenger at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, and Tekapo airports during the month of October. These airports were selected to make sure that all types of passengers on a variety of sizes of aircraft were covered.
The survey will be completed by the middle of November 2003, and the CAA should have the final report by the end of November 2003. Rules incorporating the new weights are expected to be in place by mid 2004.