Disembarking Heavily Loaded Planes
 

So I was on the BA782 to ARN today. It was very heavily loaded and all the CE middle seats were put into use. Which I understand in the circumstances.

The Captain was excellent in keeping us updated. When we arrived at ARN and as the engines spooled down he warned us in a thunderous voice that we must stay seated with our seat belts on. A few minutes later he explained why. The plane was so loaded with humans and baggage that if everyone started getting up, especially at the front, the plane would tip to the back, we’d all slither back that way and particularly those at the back would rather regret it. Or words to that effect.

So we waited with surprising patience while they took a couple of luggage containers off. I’ve never in 40 years flying come across that before. So there is something new under the sun after all....

That’s a novelty I’ve yet to experience. By thunderous voice, are you talking Geoffrey Cox MP thunderous? :)

I haven't yet had an experience of this, but this presumably was a A321 NEO flight. BA actually can't sell all the seats on it at the moment due to the risk that you mentioned, more details in the main NEO thread. There's some software modification needed before EASA will approve full loads. I am surprised that the captain's words were respected, when I read in that thread of this possibility I felt that someone, somewhere, would think this doesn't apply to them and before you know it everyone would be up on their feet.

I have been on flights where they couldn't open doors due to the risk of a strong gust of wind would roll the aircraft over.

There are some good pictures of aircraft with their tails on the ground but I don't know whether it has happened with passengers on board.

Its a know problem with some Airbus models

this pic shows the problem on a 320

https://www.aviation24.be/wp-content...ail-tipped.jpg

as people get off at the front the aircraft becomes too heavy at the back and tips. TO resolve the issues the remove some of the containers from the rear first

It was, yes. I presume there must have been some spare seats down the back as all CE was full: seven rows of six per row.

as to respecting the captain’s announcement, he had been a model of keeping us informed and apologising for delays and for the situation in CE, so I think by the time we were at ARN he had built up a fair amount of credit :)

No, more concerned parent seeing child putting chubby fingers in a electric socket thunderous.

Except that’s a 737. 😉

edit: was..

yes I saw that problem after i posted so changed the photo

Jet2 disembark their 757s from door 2L. The front rows are held back for a while so it doesn't get too "rear heavy".

Many B739 operators use tail stands to avoid this potential problem on the ground.
https://i.redd.it/fnsb3wwsfuv01.jpg

They were also keen to keep people moving forwards on a 737 the other day, warning us that unless they had a certain number of pax in first 10 rows the plane could tip back.

BA 458 LHR-MAD 17th Feb
 

This also happened on my A320 flight to MAD today. The Capt asked all passengers to wait disembarking the A320 until some of the baggage/cargo had be unloaded from the rear of the aircraft. Reason was high amount/weight of baggage/cargo. I thought high amount of baggage/cargo was due to the HAL IT/Storm Dennis that impacted LHR on 16th Feb.

A friend was on this ARN service today and has just been talking about this on FB.

The captain was apparently very good.

Simples. Just stick CE down the back!! 😂

Originally posted by corporate-wage-slave: I would have thought that software mods could alleviate handling problems but would have no effect on static stability on the ground. To remove the tip-up risk it will be necessary to move the centre of mass forward relative to the main landing gear.