c::-htewC'tl

U ROM years tricycle, five the ago,

devious airplanes and painstaking that path. certain It is significant

tail first have of twentydesigners airplane followed a features of these of today. earlier

are being revived

in the designs

The rise in commercial importance of aircraft is the one great difference which has come about during this process of evolution. This has been brought to improve upon previous designs aspects of the art. about by the struggle and reach into newer

This commercial importance is the result of the ability of aircraft to carry ever larger loads, more swiftly and more safely. The proper disposition of the variable loads in an airplane is fundamental in achieving this result. Rarely has the airplane taken to its medium with its "most" weight carried in its "best" location. No doubt this condition of the past has been due to cumbersome ineffective methods of weight distribution control. This is no longer true, however. The data herein and are

intended to illustrate the way many operators this problem by the use of the LIBRASCOPE. -you can read this booklet to do soin five minutes--it

have solved

will pay you

THE
AN AND

LIBRASCOPE
AND SIMPLE WEIGHT DEVICE CONTROLLING

EFFECTIVE BALANCE

gage

of modern transport aircraft more spacious bagdesign is definitely toward greater carrying capacity, compartments and larger, more comfortable passenger accomAlmost the entire length of the fuselage is now being

rJ1 HE trend

modations.

converted to the carrying of payload. Seat spacing is approaching five feet between rows as opposed to three feet. Altogether, there is indicated a larger utility of available center thing, per cent of over-all space is realized. center of gravity range as full It appears, however, that the

of gravity range during take-off, flight and landing has, if anybeen reduced, due to the large upsetting moments resulting aircraft as well, particularly the larger sizes, also are carry-

from high lift devices. Military ing improved useful load ratios. The loads are even more widely distributed than commercial transports, particularly when a gunner is at each extremity of the main body and a bombsight operator is near the nose. If, for example, on a 50,000-pound airplane, 100 feet long, the rear gunner movement were to move to the nose position, a center of gravity of nearly five inches would result. It is indicated therefore

that an effective, simple and rapid device for weight and balance control be provided as an adjunct to all flight operations. In connection with the current trend of landplanes into the tricycle type cate of alighting gear, preliminary calculations and flight tests indithat in order to become air borne rapidly, with ease and a of gravity land type is even more critical gear. COMPUTERS COMPANY than

minimum of stick forces, the center in the case of the "conventional"

L1BRASCOPE IS THE TRADE MARK MANUFACTURED

OF BALANCE

BY L1BRASCOPE DEVELOPMENT

[ 3 ]

-+,------------------------+-

It appears

as though

take-off

runs with a "too-far-forward"

center

take-off,

particularly,

than landplanes

of equivalent

size.

The relative

of gravity position serious consequences

on a tricycle alighting gear may produce more than with the conventional gear. If the tricycle safety, another in addition to is the

position of the center of gravity and the main step should be determined, controlled and rationalized against gross weight in the same manner One as discussed under landplanes factors above. trend toward improve-

gear is desirable from the standpoint of improved variable in the center of gravity is to be controlled
"/0

of the primary

in the present

MAC

(per cent

of mean

aerodynamic

chord);

this variable

per cent distance forward of main landing gear chassis. Likewise, a "too_far_aft" location of the center of gravity on a tricycle alighting gear will produce center either results which range in landing, are at once apparent. Since the
a

ments in safety of air transportation is the elimination of pilot fatigue. Pilots' errors usually are charged to a man who is operating under high mental and ocular stress for extended periods of time. In addition to this already critical tax on the physical often the crew is burdened additionally incurs adjustment of trimming might otherwise be avoided. sider this problem on the ground to correct and in the air. to use trimming distributed tabs while the plane load. Aside is in flight from the more limitations of flying personnel, due to incorrect loading which which recon-

optimum airplane, that actual

of gravity in flight,

may vary with the total weight or take-off, to insure fair agreement the correct location

of the the of

it is surely reasonable between center

some control and optimum

be provided conditions.

tabs or constant trim correction, Operating units should seriously controlling

if they do not have proper

instruments

In the field of flyi ng boats

of the

gravity and angle of planing of the hull bottom has been fairly well established. "Hump" resistance and take-off time have been found to be reduced twenty-five per cent (25 "/0) by the proper handling of the variables which influence them, aside from power available. Also, since engine cooling is a maior problem in flying boat operation take-off, all reasonable means should be taken to insure proper ration for minimum take-off time. Designers of floats have cl1:>ncluded that of gravity again with respect in addition to aerodynamic the optimum balance, location during prepahulls here for

It is uneconomical

for an improperly

obvious faults of this procedure, it is pointed out that if an airplane were loaded so that it flies under a nose-heavy condition, the force of air on the horizontal surfaces in effect adds the same amount of additional weight as would be necessary to pull the airplane of weight back into a to the level position. That is, this amount is then added

and boat

the center

to the main step must be controlled-and is different

airplane over and above the static weight. While this would not in every case mean that the airplane would be carrying a load over its permissible gross weight, it will cause added duced speed and more difficult handling. consumption of fuel, re-

as in the case of landplanes

heavy loads at take-off than it is for light loads at landing. Flying boats are somewhat more sensitive to the center of gravity position during

SEAL BY

CAN INSTINCT

BALANCE

BUT

IT'S

HARD FO R

WORK

]
PILOTS

AND

ENGINES

[1-]

[5 ]

-F

For a solution of these troublesome problems, Mr. Lewis W. Imm, President of the LIBRASCOPE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY,has made a major contribution in the field of air transport and balance by i'he development computor known of a as the portable, . compact, LIBRASCOPE. This specialized of any contemplated attain a desired center weight

The basic weight aircraft periodic Values

empty

and weight

empty

center

of gravity

of all

is determined by weighing, upon leaving the factory and at intervals thereafter. This basic weight empty includes the crew which are carried to the weight in the airplane empty and at all times. weight empty which correspond

and items of equipment

form of calculator loading, of gravity

will show the weight

and balance load to

or how to distribute location

a given

e.G. (including crew and fixed equipment) are adjusted on the weight and balance scales of the LIBRASCOPEy the respective weight and balb ance adjustment screws. If the LIBRASCOPE to be used for an indiis which use average weight empty vidual airplane or a fleet of airplanes

at any time prior to or dur-

ing the process of loading or unloading. The very essence of the LIBRASCOPE simplicity of settings and accuracy of readings. is This goal of all instrument fortunate the result. proposed makers is the direct or existing weight result of planning distribution. to produce this No skill and very little judgment is required to set up

and weight empty C.G.s, the adjustments are not disturbed after the initial setting except to allow for the installai'ion of additional equipment or to correct for service "pick-up," as determined by periodic actual weighings. If one LIBRASCOPE to be used on a number of airis planes e.G. of the same model, values but which have diffe~ent in equipment, basic weight found and addue to difference it has been

All settings can be In

checked by visual inspection and there are no trial and error solutions such as are involved in the slide rule type of balance computors. addition to this very important totalizing and the center feature, for automatic calibrated and precise indication of under or overweigh:t. are indicated limiting illustrated on separate graduations. by a recent only the LIBRASCOPE provides

The gross weight

of gravity is graphically

vantageous to install pointer knobs, similar to the ones used for useful load items, in the place of the screws. Blank dials are provided under the adjustment pointers and these dials may be marked to show the individual settings for each airplane. Using this procedure, the first step is to set the adjustment pointers to the mark representing the serial number Individual of the airplane to be loaded. knobs are provided for all items dials with adjustment

dials upon which are superimposed

The utility of the instrument

round.=}he-w9rld record flight which employed a LIBRASCOPE preparain tion for loadi'hg, unloading, and in the selection of fuel from the various main and auxiliary storage tanks. Since the airplane was seriously overloaded to begin with, a very accurate control of the center of gravity was necessary. By means of the fuel dial settings on the LIBRASCOPEt a any particular the endurance time, the flight engineer could also quickly determine available and, preparatory to landing, make out a load-

which make up the variable useful load or payload of the aircraft. These include dials for each fuel and oil tank, each baggage compartment and each row of passenger seats. In addition, it is sometimes of weight during necessary to include dials to indicate movement flight, such as a retractable landing gear. The LIBRASCOPEas been designed h natural. The general arrangement of the airplane-looking settings and the total

to make its operation

logical and view

ing schedule to facilitate a~curate refueling. As it is designed for the Douglas DC-2, DC-3, heed 14, the LIBRASCOPE contained is carrying dimensions wide and depending case, which provides
18112 inches

is similar to the cross-sectional

DS-T and the Lockand deep, compact The II inches handle.

in an attractive 3 inches is between

from the left side. There are no multiple weight and total weight C.G. are indicated at

snap locks and a carrying The weight of dials.

[ 6 ]

of the unit are (approximately) long. upon the number

any step of the loading process. In addition, the settings of the various pointers indicate to the operator the amount of load which has been placed in each tank, compartment or passenger seat. This latter feature prevents all chance of error, and eliminates the necessity for rechecks.

6 and 8 pounds

[ 7 ]

-+------------------------,~

manipulation under weight "B".

of the pointers empty (The scale extends

described

under

"A",

in addition described

to

3. MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION:
The materials used in the construction of the
LIBRASCOPE

the basic weight empty

as set by the weight above

adjustment the normal marked colored

are care-

from a value below the normal

basic

to a value considerably

or provi-

fully selected and of the best grade obtainable. Special attention has been directed toward corrosion resista nce under extreme service conditions. layer of transparent close fitting dust or moisture The etched aluminum dials are protected by a material which is relatively uninflammable. A plated rim provides an eHective seal against carrying This wearentering the mechanism. The standard

sional gross weight "Standard" provided arrangement Between Above The weight curacy to indicate

and shall be conspicuously In addition, limits. the range gross weight and provisional gross weight

by the words bands shall be color band Green

and "Provisional".) shall be as follows: standard provisional

The customary

~l
It
\.

chromium

Below standard

gross weight

Yellow Red

case includes a cover which makes the unit easily portable. case is covered with an extremely tough waterproof and resistant material.

scale shall be calibrated of one per cent.

to provide

for a reading

ac-

of one-half

(D) A CENTF..R OF GRAVITY The pointer center scribed on this scale

POSITION

REGISTERiNG

SCALE of the the deset

registers

at all times the position of the airplane

of gravity under"

of the gross weight I. '(A)" in addition

including empty

loads set into the mechanism by the weight and balance

by manipulation adjustments

of the pointers

to the basic weight described

in "i. (B)". This

scale~is nor,rnally calibrated in per cent of the mean ae'rodynamic chord but may be calibrated from any reference point or points. The allowable band center and center of gravity landing range gear is marked by a green color

may also be identified range,

by the description up or down." range

"allowable

of gravity

The range forward

and aft of the allowable

is marked accuracy

in red. of two-

The calibration is such a~ to provide tenths of one per cent of the MAC.

a reading

2. CALIBRATION:
The various any language to be furnished loads and fuel or oil capacities in any units. may be described (Translations, in

~lt t
;,*

and calibrated

if any, are

by the p<Jrchaser.)
[ 10 ]

[ II ]

-l-

+-

+-

The

Librascope

Mechanism
solution changes to loading problems. It of

The LIBRASCOPE offers a simplified is the only computor which gives; (a) Simultaneous weight and balance load placed in any compartment.

for a single setting

~l.

(b) A visual record (c) Automatic a definite

of all loads and where placed.

distribution of additional cargo, passengers or fuel for e.G. position, the other loads remaining constant.

~~t

(d) Solution of last minute additions or subtractions of load with-a minimum of time and effort and without necessitating recalculation of loads not affected. (e) Constant record of the amount of additional load which may be carried without exceeding the gross weight, and where this load may be placed to keep the total weight C.G. within the allowable limits. In order to accomplish equation be solved. all this, it is necessary that the following

D=

(w1 L1)

(wz Lz)

(ws

Ls)

dial-

(w4 L4)

...........

11

w1

and simultaneously

I\
\ \

=
= =

W1

+ +

Wz

on a separate
Wz Ws

+ +

Ws

+ +

W4

W4

11

whereD W
W1

= displacement
total weight

in center

of gravity

Ll

empty weight of airplane location of e.G. of weight

empty

from

common

reference L

point
wz'
",-~1

ws' et cetera

additional

load placed

at point a distance

but it Not only does the LIBRASCOPE solve the above computations, always shows the correct sign character (+ or -) and, therefore, constantly produces results which are free from error both in sign and magnitude.

12 ]

~._-----------------------,+-

J;/n:aefteJ
Though transoceanic flights are still rare, the LIBRASCOPE has flown both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans twice. The fourteen maior airlines now using the LIBRASCOPE load regular to separate that countries in all the continents of

schedules serve forty-seven the world. Northwest Airlines claim

with the

use of the LIBRASCOPE the in the four compart-

average time spent in locating and placing cargo ments of their Lockheed 14s is two minutes. TW A use the LIBRAscoPEform-showing oil. fuel and passengers and the resulti~g C.G. as a part of their flight schedule reports and other information. exact

locations

of cargo,

total weight and total weight which also includes weather where stops are frequent.

KLM uses the LIBRASCOPE each station at in the plane.

On long flights across Asia and the East Indies the LIBRASCOPE carried is

Taking advantage of the simple and positive control of weight and balance-;.which the LIBRASCOPE provides, the loading personnel at one terminal of a iarge United States airline are vol~ntarily keeping individual records of the e.G. location of the flights which they dispatctr. This is being done in an effort to ascertain which one is closest to the goal of loading all flights uniformly with a e.G. location at the point where highest efficiency and maximum ease of handling may be realized. Over a period of nine months, records kept by three dispatchers show that one has averaged4.a e.G. position within one-tenth of one per cent (0.1 of I '10) of the 'optimum point. The other two are within three-tenths and six-tenths of one per cent MAC of this location. By using the LIBRASCOPE readjust to load during flight and by direct,.1'

ing the preparation of subsequent flight loads through plane to ground radio contact, manufacturers have been able to save much time and money on test flight programs.

13

Miscellany
Besides the standard arrangement used by most lines at the present

The

LIBRASCOPE

adapts

itself to any load-carrying control for efficient vehicle includes practically

vehicle which must This espeall craft which rely

have weight and balance class of load-carrying upon a flexible cially submarines, critical than that .~ medium

and fast operation. vehicles,

time, an additional feature of the LIBRASCOPE which will be incorporated on some designs now in the progress of construction will be an automatic registering device. When the desired load distribution is attained, a button is pushed. which registers the amount of load in each compartment, tank and passenger seat, together with the total weight and total weigh center of gravity on two sheets in the back which face. One of the sheets is rolled bear a fac-simile of the LIBRASCOPE out and forms a part of the flight schedule, as a perma nent record. while the other is retained

for buoyancy.

Water-borne

have a balance problem which in some cases is more for airplanes. The LIBRASCOPE as designed for sub-

marines not only registers the total weight and total weight C.G., but registers the center of buoyancy by summarizing the buoyant capacity of all compartments or stations.

A master dial which shows the shift in e.G. should passengers leave their assigned seats during flight. The passengers are located in their assigned seats and correct e.G. of this loading is shown. However, by turning the master knob forward the e.G. which would result if all passengers moved to the most forward possible locations in the airplane would be shown; by turning the master knob rearward, the most rearward location is shown.

~~ R-ecent
One of the latest additions weight and balance computor, and weight control This
MASTER

Developments
to the LIBRASCOPE family is a master which will be of great value to design of manufacturing one hundred companies. dials which represent between stations may and according to the the keeping of
'l!l'

departments

LIBRASCOPE

contains

stations one to ten inches apilrt. This distance be varied according to the si~e of the airplane state of completion. Use of this computor

will enable

accurate weight and balance inventory at all times. The effect on the C.G. and weight due to adding, subtracting, or changing position of any item Additional or structural part may be quickly and easily determined. particulars on this computor may be had upon request.

[ 14]

15 ]

~----------------------_.~

NEWS

flASHES

(HUGHES "91 Hrs., 8 Min., 10 Sec.")

... Flying at all times at the altitude which was most favorable at that particular to the time-

~. 4]r
.~
L1BRASCOPE USERS
NIPPON KUKU YUSO KABUSHIKI KAISHA TRANSCONTINENTAL UNITED STATES ARMY AIR CORPS AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL AIRWAYS GREAT NORTHERN AIRWAYS AND WESTERN AIR
-Aviation, 1938.

./

operation

of the plane with the load aboard

the load naturally was varying as the fuel was consumed-and using the amount of horsepower at all times that would give the greatest range ... (Mr. Hughes kept an up-to-the-minute log of the weightcenter of gravity condition at all times during his phenomenal flight by means of a LIBRAscoPE.)

~~/1' /.r
~

::r:.
~

(EDDIE ALLEN "Here Goes Nothing")

... It happens quite frequently and after that an airplane apparently thought perfect to be perfect spins, suddenly

ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES

in spin recovery

many

develops an uncontrollable spin without warning. Possibly a change in weight distribution or some other slight alteration ha'ie made the differenc in sRinning attitude. -Aviation, 1938.

~b1
.f

K. L. M. (WEST INDIES) DR. RICHARD ARCHBOLD TRANS CANADA AIRWAYS UNITED STATES NAVY NORTHWEST AIRLINES A. B. AEROTRANSPORT BRITISH AIRWAYS

~_I
I
1
<=
U>

.
'

ec
'(j\

GUINEA AIRWAYS LORENZ IVERSON HOWARD HUGHES

L. A. R. E. S.
Z.

J.

K. N. I. L. M. L. O. T. C. S. A.

C-S-A

[ 16]

WNDRTHWE5T- .--. AIRLINES -- .....

::iiiI

.'
.

'.