Weight & Balance Air Cargo operation Structural limitations

P2F Troubleshooting: Your Go-To Guide!

Weight & Balance Team

As cargo airlines face an ever-increasing demand for air freight capacity, more and more are turning to P2F (Passenger-to-Freighter) to address these needs. On face value, this seems like a logical move; after all, modifying passenger aircraft into cargo planes enables you to maximize the lifespan of older passenger planes and offers a cost-effective solution to meet logistics needs. Let's be the party-poopers this time and provide a reality check. We're going to look at the common problems cargo airlines face when introducing P2F aircraft to their fleet: 

Restricted Underload?

"Why is my underload so limited?"
The structural modifications and reinforcements required to install, for example, a Loading System (ULD) and a large cargo door will undoubtedly affect the structure of the aircraft and its loading capabilities. The complexity of weight and balance calculations may force the airline to limit the underload due to safety precautions.
Achieving maximum underload requires complex, often interdependent computations that meet all structural limitations, such as:
  • Design weights and CG limits
  • Running loads
  • Accumulated loads
  • Positions’ maximum capacity
  • And more...
This is something you simply cannot do on paper!
You need software that is equipped with a robust computational model delivering on all your fleet requirements—especially all the structural limitations that relate to your P2F aircraft.
The Evionica Solution
Evionica’s robust and reliable software enables you to achieve maximum capacity utilization while maintaining full safety and compliance.
 
Disparate Aircraft Documentation?
"I wasn't prepared for the complexity of dealing with multiple documentation formats for P2F aircraft."

It’s important to have a team of experienced aeronautical engineers behind you, providing you with solutions to such a common problem. It’s important that the team has a high level of familiarity with all the essential documentation formats (AHM560/565, manufacturer’s specs, converter’s supplements, loading systems). A provider whose experience and effectiveness are proven by its successful operations with airlines like WGA, GlobalX, SmartLynx, and Levu sounds like a pretty good place to start!

The Evionica Solution
Evionica provides comprehensive engineering support. Our experienced team has extensive know-how and familiarity with: 
  • OEM-provided documentation, e.g., Airbus, Boeing 
  • Passenger aircraft IATA AHM 560/565 formats 
  • Supplements added by converters, e.g., EFW, Precision, IAI, AEI) 
  • Diverse ULD loading systems’ specifications
Evionica's engineers will analyze the entire documentation for your new aircraft and configure the system accordingly. Evionica’s 24/7 Support will quickly and effectively implement any changes to the Fleet Database without you having to worry about costly engineering competency.
 

So Hard to Comprehend?

"It's costing a lot of time and money to train our crew!"

It's fairly typical to overlook training requirements for crew. As a result, they may be unfamiliar with the weight dynamics of converted aircraft (the complexity we mentioned above). In such situations, it is best to look for a Weight and Balance system that is easy to use, with a clear and intuitive interface, making it simpler for staff to learn and operate. Acquiring the right skills should be smooth and simple, ensuring optimal efficiency.

The Evionica Solution
Evionica’s Weight & Balance facilitates your aircraft handling procedure. It comes with an intuitive step-by-step (wizard-like) interface. All the options and parameters of an aircraft (particular tail number) are reflected in the system and available to the Controller. It also eliminates redundant options (those that are not relevant for the aircraft), which makes the interface cleaner and safer.
 
Thanks to the system’s simplicity, in less than one hour of e-learning (CBT) based training, Load Controllers (aka Dispatchers) will be fully prepared to use the app.
 

Too Many Possible Solutions!
Which One to Choose?

"Ensuring proper load distribution and the highest performance of aircraft on our newly converted freighters is turning out to be a major headache."
Of course, each cargo airline has its own unique needs. However, there is one general truth for all airlines that are in the process of introducing P2F to their fleet. There is a crucial need for a system that: 
🗸 Automatically distributes loads to maximize underload 
🗸 Optimizes fuel efficiency (trim) 
🗸 Ensures dangerous goods (DGR) separation, and 
🗸 Facilitates multi-sector freight unloading 
★ All while maintaining full compliance with regulations.
 
The Evionica Solution
Evionica fully delivers on all of these things with a comprehensive one-click Auto-load assistant. Abracadabra, you now have a perfect load distribution that is also fully compliant! Magic? We like to think so!
 

Last Minute Changes Delaying Flights?

"Our current system for validating alternate load distribution is way too sluggish! It’s costing us time and money!"
While loading the aircraft, unforeseen circumstances may arise, such as: 
  • Non-normative packaging 
  • Payload Manifest (UWS) typos
  • Removed load 
  • Late delivery under the aircraft, etc. 
Such situations force the Loading Supervisor to react quickly within a limited turn-around time. Recomputing the C.G. can be cumbersome without a proper tool and risks a costly delay. The Loading Supervisor requires a tool that enables quick validation of an alternate load distribution and updates the Loadsheet (aka Trim Sheet).
The Evionica Solution
Evionica’s Weight & Balance is designed to be used on a tablet device (e.g., iPad, Android) under the aircraft, enabling the Load Supervisor to react immediately to changes without delay.
In more exotic locations, Internet access may be an issue, making remote preparation of the Loadsheet impractical. Evionica’s Weight & Balance can work offline, allowing you to perform all the necessary computations and print the load sheet whenever and wherever it is needed.
 

So Much Information to Be Typed in!?

"The more information we have to define, the bigger the chances we’ll make some mistakes!"
Preparing a Loadsheet requires lots of information to be defined, often by typing it in. The Payload Manifest is especially prone to errors with its large amount of data and long Airway Bill codes. To limit the workload of Controllers and minimize the risk of typos, the Weight & Balance solution must offer robust integration options.
The answer to such a common problem is having a broad API.
A broad API seamlessly connects flight schedules, configuration options, fuel data, and payload manifests, ensuring accurate, timely and efficient data exchange. Integrations enhance safety, reliability, and overall efficiency.
The Evionica Solution
Evionica’s Weight & Balance offers a broad set of APIs and an in-house engineering team familiar with the other systems airlines use. The choice is entirely yours. If you want, you can send the Payload Manifest can be sent via API. You can send the Payload Manifest via API or upload a file (TXT, XLS) in your preferred format—it's entirely up to you! 
 

Aircraft Specification Updates!

"The endless updates of aircraft specifications and their documentation cost us time and money!"

Maintaining and disseminating up-to-date aircraft documentation can be a challenge with a growing fleet. A centralized Fleet Database, serving as a single source of information, is the answer.

The Evionica Solution
Evionica’s Weight and Balance solution offers a Cloud Fleet Database, guaranteeing seamless access and Loadsheets that are always compliant. 
Updating a database to reflect recent changes often requires specialized skills and immediate availability. This can drive costs up. With Evionica, you have 24/7 support from our experienced engineers who will quickly update the database whenever you require, ensuring your costs are kept down!
 

More Troubleshooting Needed?

Evionica's Weight & Balance solution is designed to address all of your P2F challenges with absolute efficiency. From seamless integrations and intuitive interfaces to robust APIs and 24/7 support, our solution ensures your operations are smooth and compliant. P2F conversions are much more complex than they sound; that's why we've designed the right tools for you to manage them effectively.

If you have experienced any problems related to P2F conversions that we haven't covered in this blog, please let us know. Sharing our ideas and experiences is the best way to troubleshoot your P2F problems and, of course, improve aviation together.