Load planning involves which of the following?

• A. Determining how to arrange passengers, cargo, and equipment to meet mission constraints while staying within weight and balance limits.
• B. Determining the flight path to minimize fuel use.
• C. Setting maintenance windows for each aircraft.
• D. Forecasting crew rest requirements.

Answer: (B)

Load planning focuses on how to place passengers, cargo, and equipment so the aircraft’s weight and balance stay within the approved limits while meeting mission constraints. This means calculating the total weight and the distribution of that weight (center of gravity) to keep the CG inside the allowed envelope, which directly affects stability, controllability, elevator effectiveness, stall margins, and required takeoff/landing performance. A proper load plan also accounts for limits on individual compartments and floor loading, ensuring all restraints and securing methods are used appropriately.

The other activities described belong to different planning areas: choosing a flight path to minimize fuel use is flight planning, scheduling maintenance windows is maintenance planning, and forecasting crew rest requirements is crew scheduling.