Aircraft weight and balance is first and foremost a safety critical issue for GHA’s and airlines alike.  As a vital part of the flight handling process, it is also crucial to operational flight performance, fuel efficiency and economy. Loading correctly and getting the aircraft in optimal trim reduces fuel burn and CO2 emissions, both saving the airline money and benefiting the environment.  Scaled up over the entire operation, even small efficiency gains in a flight profile will generate major savings for airlines which more than ever are exposed to volatile fuel prices and squeezed margins.

Traditional load control operations take a number of common approaches to weight and balance for passenger aircraft. Some rely on manual load sheets, which can be time consuming and inefficient, others use legacy weight and balance systems built into the airline DCS, which can be cumbersome and difficult to use. Others may already use alternative third party systems, or even a combination of all of the above to cover different aspects of their operation.

Whatever solutions are employed, there is a fairly consistent set of frustrations that are commonly heard. Chief among them is the difficult and time consuming task of training load controllers on automated systems, often based on out dated ‘green screen’ technology and using cryptic command line inputs. Unease about the absolute accuracy of the aircraft data or the requirement to re-key DCS information are other major significant concerns.

LodeStone 2.0 the latest release of Damarel’s popular weight and balance solution addresses these common problems and provides a simple, unified solution. 

Nick Beckett, Director of Product Development at Damarel sees a real need in the industry for a new, more modern approach; “We’re excited by what we’ve done with LodeStone 2.0, and the realistic alternative it provides in the weight and balance market. Most importantly, we’ve built on the solid foundation of an existing product that has been widely used for many years and the safety assurance that comes from this can’t be stressed strongly enough”. 

Developed using the latest Web technologies and taking advantage of improved delivery methods, LodeStone 2.0 offers a wide range of enhanced usability features. With the inclusion of drag and drop support for deadload items and detailed graphical representations of the aircraft holds, LodeStone 2.0 offers a superior user experience, allowing staff members to control the process efficiently whilst integrating seamlessly with the way they would normally work. 

The intuitive GUI interface reduces staff training time, simplifies load-planning tasks and increases productivity. For the traditionalists, LodeStone 2.0 offers a real-time envelope display giving instant feedback on the current loading profile in a well-understood standard form.  Automatically updated RAW, ZFW, TOW and LAW index values ensure that the user always has the most current values to hand.

The Perfect Host

Designed from the ground up as a hosted web solution, and delivered straight to your browser across the Internet from our data centre in the UK, LodeStone 2.0 is quick and easy to roll out, removing the need for expensive dedicated circuits and equipment, and eliminating the long lead times associated with traditional suppliers.

“The web delivery model we have chosen makes adoption of the solution very straightforward and in many cases allows clients to migrate from either manual load sheets or expensive 3rd party systems with little or no outlay” adds Nick Beckett. 

By leveraging the latest technology and removing the complexity surrounding the delivery of weight and balance systems, Damarel can offer a first class weight and balance solution that provides the security and stability of a well-established product at an exceptionally competitive price.

As a hosted service, LodeStone is immediately available at any location with access to the Internet, making it ideal for everything from small-scale operations at a single site through to the busiest Central Load Control facilities used by the major international airlines and ground handlers.

LodeStone 2.0 also boasts a ‘mobile’ version of the viewer that will keep you up to date even when on the move, so you can easily view the load plan or load sheet on your smart phone or iPad.  With all data stored centrally, LodeStone 2.0 also reduces the overhead of managing and maintaining AHM 560 data, ensuring all stations have access to the latest information.

Integrity is Important

Accurate AHM 560 data is essential for safe planning and loading, and LodeStone 2.0 has a range of options that give choice and flexibility to users. 

“We’ve used all of the experience gained from many years working with both load controllers and weight and balance trainers to deliver a system that is intuitive and  flexible and works with people to do the job as efficiently as possible.” comments Nick.

For clients who are used to maintaining their own aircraft data, Damarel bundles LodeSupport with the package. This graphical tool is and easy to use and allows users to enter and maintain all aircraft data, with full audit trail and accountability built in. For those who would rather have a turnkey system, Damarel can also offer data maintenance as part of a complete service, ensuring data integrity and reducing overheads.

Balancing the Books

Keeping costs down without compromising quality has always been a driving principle behind Damarel’s products, and LodeStone is no exception. Damarel offers LodeStone with a variety of options, including a pay-as-you-go model that instantly removes any start-up costs or initial capital expenditure, which are often real barriers to entry.

LodeStone charges are always calculated on a per flight basis, which has a dramatic impact on price and provides substantial savings when compared with traditional suppliers who charge per load sheet edition.

Delivering the News

LodeStone 2.0 incorporates all of Damarel’s advanced messaging options for airport systems, including traditional Type B delivery and Email, along with standard browser support for attached printers. These features enable clients to take advantage of low cost delivery mechanisms, reduce paper trails and use off the shelf technology rather than proprietary and expensive solutions.

Nick concludes by saying “As with any product, it’s important that all of the stakeholders benefit from adoption and we believe we’ve met that goal; firstly system owners profit from simplified training, higher productivity and lower operational costs; secondly, airlines gain from more efficient loading and reduced fuel consumption, and finally load controllers have a tool they can trust which simplifies their task”.

Whether for wide or narrow-bodied aircraft, containerised or bulk loaded, LodeStone 2.0 offers a cost-effective, standalone weight and balance alternative for operations of all sizes, be it ad-hoc flights, charter and point-to-point operators or even the scheduled flag carriers.

If your operation needs a cost-effective weight and balance solution that can be up an running in an instant, Lodestone 2.0 is the answer.

To find out how Damarel can help you automate your operation, please contact us by phone on +44 (0) 1252 783787 or by email  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it