Message from Snowboss: FOOD DROP FLIGHTS

Hello Crew, PLEASE PRINT

The following is the aircraft we will use for the food drop flights. It also shows how many food bags you can carry. The bags weigh 60-pounds each If you are over the max gross weight, it will be not very much, not enough to worry about. For the prop aircraft, I figure 55% fuel in each tank, turboprops a little higher. Pilot weight, 185-pounds.

Here is an example of how to load your aircraft without going over gross weight. Lets say, your aircraft is going to fly 20-food bags at 60-pounds each, for a total load of, 1,200-pounds, and add 185-pounds for pilot, so you now have, 1,385 pounds of gross weight less fuel. Empty your fuel tanks, now add the, 1,385-pounds for pilot and cargo. At the bottom of the loading diagram for your aircraft you will see, Max Allowable Fuel, and this will show you how many gallons you can load without going over the Max gross weight of your aircraft. For smaller aircraft we normally use gallons, not pounds of fuel. Also, don't load all your cargo in one area, spread it around, and remember to keep your aircrafts CG within limits. It's better to have a forward CG, than a rear ward CG.

The following are the food bag hauling aircraft:

PA-18 Super Cub...6-bags :))
Cessna 182...14-bags
Cessna 206...19-bags
PC-6 Porter...18-bags
DHC-2 Beaver...23-bags
Cessna 208...40-bags
Cherokee-6...18-bags
Beech-17...18-bags
Beech-18...35-bags
DHC-3T Turbine Otter...40-bags
Pilatus PC-12...46-bags
Aero Commander 680...28-bags
Bell 412 helicopter...50-bags
DHC-6 Twin-Otter...50-bags
Beech 1900...60-bags (used for long haul)
Douglas DC-3...74-bags (used for long haul)

If you have an aircraft that is not on the list, and meets the trail types, please contact me.

Snowboss