OT- New rule to reflect heavier passagers.

[tonado]

FAA changes rules to reflect heavier passengers, luggage

By Leslie Miller, Associated Press Writer, 5/12/2003

 

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government on Monday increased its estimates of how much passengers and their luggage weigh, prompted by last winter's crash that killed all 21 people aboard a commuter plane in Charlotte, N.C.

 

The Federal Aviation Administration is adding 10 pounds to its estimate for passengers and five pounds to luggage. The weights are used to gauge whether a plane is overloaded.

 

Airlines will have the option of using their own estimates if they survey their passengers' weight.

 

Weight is important for all planes, but critically so for smaller aircraft. Too many bags or a few heavy people in the back could change the plane's center of gravity and make it harder to fly.

 

Instead of weighing all passengers and their bags, airlines generally use official government estimates to determine whether a plane is too heavy to fly safely.

 

The FAA's new estimate is that passengers traveling in summertime weigh 190 pounds, 10 pounds more than the old standard. That includes clothing and carry-ons. Children 2 to 12 will continue to be estimated at 80 pounds.

 

Checked bags now will be estimated to weigh 30 pounds rather than 25.

 

Critics said the old standards, in place since 1995, were too low because Americans and their bags had gotten heavier.

 

US Airways Flight 5481, which crashed Jan. 8, was judged to be within 100 pounds of its maximum takeoff weight. The 19-seat Beech 1900 turboprop plunged to earth 37 seconds after takeoff at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. Weight and mechanical problems are under investigation as possibly contributing to the accident.

 

After the crash, the FAA ordered 15 regional airlines to check passenger weights. The survey showed that the average passenger weight was higher than the estimates by 20.63 pounds, carry-on bags were higher by 5.72 pounds and domestic checked bags by 3.81 pounds, FAA spokeswoman Diane Spitaliere said.

 

She said air carriers have 90 days to implement the changes.

[SBS]

How about passenger from China to America? I would like to carry a heavier backpack instead of suitcase

everyday i day-dream about that i am seeing my honey in the airport the next day