AI Advances Boost Aircraft Weight and Balance Safety

Artificial intelligence is ushering in a new era of accuracy and safety in aircraft weight and balance (W&B) management. Aviation innovators are developing advanced, on-aircraft systems that deliver precise real-time measurements—reducing reliance on manual calculations and minimizing the risks associated with human error.

Weight and balance remain critical to safe flight operations because they directly influence aircraft performance, stability, and controllability. An overloaded aircraft may struggle to take off, climb, or maintain altitude, while improper balance can create dangerous instability during takeoff and landing. Modern AI-enhanced systems aim to eliminate these hazards by providing accurate data without assumptions or guesswork.

Texas-based Avix Aero has introduced its Onboard Weight and Balance System (OBWBS), which replaces manual, assumption-driven processes with automated, real-time calculations of aircraft weight and center of gravity (CG).

“Weight and center-of-gravity errors are among the most significant issues affecting safe aircraft operations today,” said Avix Aero CEO Bill Tiffany, citing the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. “They stem from heavily manual, assumption-based calculations and loading processes.” Tiffany noted that Avix’s system accurately measures weight and CG directly on the aircraft, removing the potential for human or procedural errors.

Canada’s Abomis Innovations is also modernizing the W&B landscape with an AI-driven platform that streamlines and validates load-planning decisions.

“A major strength of our solution is its seamless integration with BRS (baggage reconciliation systems),” said Abomis Product Owner Mike Masha. “This allows our weight-and-balance engine to access highly precise weight data for baggage and cargo in each compartment or ULD, based directly on inputs from airport scales.”

By connecting systems that traditionally operated in silos, Abomis reduces manual intervention and lowers the risk of incorrect data or miscalculations.

Business Aviation Also Sees Rising Demand for AI W&B Tools

While many weight and balance innovations have focused on commercial airlines, business aviation presents its own operational challenges. Variability in passenger counts, fuel loads, and cargo distribution makes accurate CG and weight determination especially valuable.

“With the variation in passenger, cargo, and fuel volumes in business aircraft, confidently knowing aircraft weight and CG once loading is complete is a major safety benefit—and a strong selling point for operators,” Tiffany said.

Because business aviation encompasses a wide range of aircraft types, customizing W&B systems requires extensive software development and data modeling. Abomis sees significant opportunity in this segment as well.

“We recognize strong potential within business aviation and are actively exploring a tailored version of our platform for that market,” Masha said. The company is also advancing sustainability by reducing paperwork through a mobile app that allows pilots to sign and transmit digital load sheets directly within their electronic flight folders.

AI Improves Curtailment and Safety Margins

One of the core advances in modern W&B systems involves the process of curtailment—adjusting an aircraft’s allowable weight and balance envelope to ensure safety under real operating conditions. Traditionally, these adjustments relied on fixed worst-case assumptions.

“By having a clear, integrated solution, pilots can quickly and accurately follow the required steps to keep the aircraft within safe operational limits,” said Gene Albright, senior vice president of operations at Aircraft Performance Group (APG).

APG’s technology calculates curtailments dynamically, based on the aircraft’s actual load, providing greater flexibility and avoiding unnecessarily restrictive CG limits.

The company emphasizes that real-time curtailment calculations help maintain safe CG conditions even as passengers move or fluids shift during flight. “This ensures that the aircraft is always operated within safe CG limits, while preventing unsafe loading scenarios that could compromise flight safety,” Albright said.

Turning Landing Gear into Intelligent Sensors

Avix Aero’s OBWBS offers a different approach by transforming landing gear struts into integrated weighing sensors.

“The system accurately measures aircraft weight and center of gravity by effectively turning the landing gear into a set of scales that fold up and fly with the aircraft,” Tiffany explained. Using AI, the system processes inputs from multiple sources to validate weight and CG calculations automatically, removing reliance on manual estimates or inconsistent data.

Toward Safer, More Reliable Operations

Across the industry, AI-powered weight and balance technologies are providing measurable safety improvements. Automation, intelligent verification, integrated workflows, and real-time analytics offer operators more accurate data and enhanced situational awareness. As aviation continues embracing digital and AI-driven tools, the evolution of weight and balance systems promises safer operations, reduced workloads, and more reliable aircraft performance.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, reuters.com