Narrative:

I received the average bag weight calculation which weighed all bags and divided by total bags. The weight that day was 60 pounds which was twice the average of 30 in the weight and balance computer. We were told by airline management to use actual weights which we thought we were. The company wanted us to use FAA approved weights in weight and balance manual of 30 pounds. Had I used those weights the aircraft would have exceeded maximum zero fuel weight by about 4000-5000 pounds and the aircraft being 10000 pounds heavier than its weight and balance paperwork using 30 pounds/bag as approved in company weight and balance manual. I raised issue of safety to company and was being moved out of base. I said I would file federal whistle blower suit if I was moved out of base. The company was then forced to disclose and use actual weights procedures under pressure for safety by myself. However, it was worded in e-mail to pilots they have choice of using actual weights or the 30 pounds in weight and balance manual. This still leaves open recurring safety issue of exceeding aircraft zero fuel weight and maximum takeoff weight by a very large weight. While in the cockpit at the gate, the station manager gave me her phone which had the owner of the tour operator that our company flies for. The president of tour company was trying to get me to put about 50 extra bags on. I told him that I could not because it would cause the aircraft to exceed aircraft maximum zero fuel weight. The following day I received a call from my chief pilot moving me out of base. I said if he did I would file a federal whistle blower act report. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter advised that he had not yet resorted to his threat of submitting a federal whistle blower report. Although he has been temporarily removed from duties for 'remedial' training, the removal has been on a with-pay basis. In addition, he feels the carrier is making some progress in complying with their responsibilities as a public carrier by giving their flight crews the 'option' of using either real weights or opting for the FAA approved 'average.' they are also considering employing a greater 'average' for bags over 50 pounds. The reporter wonders why, if they can weigh the bags to determine which 'average' they fit, why can't they simply use the weights and an adding machine and use the real weights. He is awaiting an answer to that question.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF A B757 IS PRESSURED BY ACR MGMNT TO UTILIZE FAA APPROVED 'AVERAGE' WTS FOR BAGS WHEN ACTUAL MANIFEST PROVIDED BY THE CONTRACT BAGGAGE HANDLING COMPANY SHOWS THE ACTUAL WTS WERE MORE THAN TWICE THE 'APPROVED AVERAGE' VALUES.

Narrative: I RECEIVED THE AVERAGE BAG WT CALCULATION WHICH WEIGHED ALL BAGS AND DIVIDED BY TOTAL BAGS. THE WT THAT DAY WAS 60 LBS WHICH WAS TWICE THE AVERAGE OF 30 IN THE WT AND BAL COMPUTER. WE WERE TOLD BY AIRLINE MGMNT TO USE ACTUAL WTS WHICH WE THOUGHT WE WERE. THE COMPANY WANTED US TO USE FAA APPROVED WTS IN WT AND BAL MANUAL OF 30 LBS. HAD I USED THOSE WTS THE ACFT WOULD HAVE EXCEEDED MAX ZERO FUEL WT BY ABOUT 4000-5000 LBS AND THE ACFT BEING 10000 LBS HEAVIER THAN ITS WT AND BAL PAPERWORK USING 30 LBS/BAG AS APPROVED IN COMPANY WT AND BAL MANUAL. I RAISED ISSUE OF SAFETY TO COMPANY AND WAS BEING MOVED OUT OF BASE. I SAID I WOULD FILE FEDERAL WHISTLE BLOWER SUIT IF I WAS MOVED OUT OF BASE. THE COMPANY WAS THEN FORCED TO DISCLOSE AND USE ACTUAL WTS PROCS UNDER PRESSURE FOR SAFETY BY MYSELF. HOWEVER, IT WAS WORDED IN E-MAIL TO PLTS THEY HAVE CHOICE OF USING ACTUAL WTS OR THE 30 LBS IN WT AND BAL MANUAL. THIS STILL LEAVES OPEN RECURRING SAFETY ISSUE OF EXCEEDING ACFT ZERO FUEL WT AND MAX TKOF WT BY A VERY LARGE WT. WHILE IN THE COCKPIT AT THE GATE, THE STATION MGR GAVE ME HER PHONE WHICH HAD THE OWNER OF THE TOUR OPERATOR THAT OUR COMPANY FLIES FOR. THE PRESIDENT OF TOUR COMPANY WAS TRYING TO GET ME TO PUT ABOUT 50 EXTRA BAGS ON. I TOLD HIM THAT I COULD NOT BECAUSE IT WOULD CAUSE THE ACFT TO EXCEED ACFT MAX ZERO FUEL WT. THE FOLLOWING DAY I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY CHIEF PLT MOVING ME OUT OF BASE. I SAID IF HE DID I WOULD FILE A FEDERAL WHISTLE BLOWER ACT RPT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR ADVISED THAT HE HAD NOT YET RESORTED TO HIS THREAT OF SUBMITTING A FEDERAL WHISTLE BLOWER RPT. ALTHOUGH HE HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY REMOVED FROM DUTIES FOR 'REMEDIAL' TRAINING, THE REMOVAL HAS BEEN ON A WITH-PAY BASIS. IN ADDITION, HE FEELS THE CARRIER IS MAKING SOME PROGRESS IN COMPLYING WITH THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AS A PUBLIC CARRIER BY GIVING THEIR FLT CREWS THE 'OPTION' OF USING EITHER REAL WTS OR OPTING FOR THE FAA APPROVED 'AVERAGE.' THEY ARE ALSO CONSIDERING EMPLOYING A GREATER 'AVERAGE' FOR BAGS OVER 50 LBS. THE RPTR WONDERS WHY, IF THEY CAN WEIGH THE BAGS TO DETERMINE WHICH 'AVERAGE' THEY FIT, WHY CAN'T THEY SIMPLY USE THE WTS AND AN ADDING MACHINE AND USE THE REAL WTS. HE IS AWAITING AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.