About
What is load control?
Before an aircraft can fly, someone has to prove two things: that it is within its structural weight limits, and that its centre of gravity sits inside the certified envelope. Load control is that someone. It gathers passenger figures from check-in, cargo and mail manifests, fuel from dispatch and the ramp agent’s loading report, turns them into one legal document — the loadsheet — and hands it to the captain before take-off.
Most airlines now run it from centralised load control (CLC) offices. One controller can look after dozens of flights in a shift, for stations they never see, through a departure control system on the ground and a datalink to the cockpit.
Who does what
Opens the flight in the DCS/W&B system, computes EZFW, issues the Loading Instruction (LIR), produces the loadsheet, applies LMCs, sends LDM/CPM messages.
Allocates flights to controllers, monitors deadlines and quality, decides on overload / offload / DG irregularities, authorises non-standard procedures.
Owns the procedures manual (AHM 590 duties split); runs training/licensing, ISAGO audits and airline agreements (SGHA Annex B).
Meets the aircraft, supervises loading per the LIR, reports deviations to load control, signs the loading report, confirms hold doors closed, delivers documents to the cockpit.
Ultimately responsible that the aircraft is loaded within limits. Cross-checks the loadsheet (pax count, fuel, limits, trim), signs it or accepts via ACARS; acknowledges the NOTOC.
A shift, minute by minute
A typical narrowbody turnaround. Times are relative to the scheduled departure (STD) and vary by airline.
The load controller opens the flight in the W&B system: registration and cabin/crew version selected; DOW/DOI load automatically from the AHM 560 fleet database.
EZFW is computed from bookings + planned deadload and sent to OCC/dispatch. The dispatcher builds the OFP and fuel plan on it; fuel figures (BLOCK / TAXI / TRIP) return to load control.
The DCS check-in module feeds live pax/bag figures (EASA standard masses: Male 88 / Female 70 / Child 35 kg, hand baggage included). The cargo/mail manifest firms up.
Deadload is distributed across compartments (trim/CG optimisation) and the LIR (AHM 514/515) goes to the ramp. A NOTOC is raised for DG and special loads (AVI, HUM, ICE…).
The ramp agent meets the aircraft; loading is supervised per the LIR: correct compartment/position, locks and nets, DG segregation rules.
Boarding begins; the gate reconciles boarding figures live through the DCS.
Final passenger figures (Male/Female/Child/Infant, by cabin zone) land on the load controller's screen.
Loading complete; the ramp agent signs the loading report ("loaded as instructed" or deviation list). Every deviation is entered BEFORE the final loadsheet.
Gate reconciliation done (boarded = checked-in); the captain's final fuel is confirmed. Hold doors are closed.
Limits checked: ZFW≤MZFW, TOW≤MTOW(/RTOW), LAW≤MLW, CG in envelope, underload computed. The loadsheet is uplinked via ACARS; the captain cross-checks (pax count, fuel, trim) and ACCEPTS — in paper ops a wet signature, a copy stays on the ground.
Last-minute changes (late pax, gate bags, late cargo) are processed as LMC within tolerance and underload, index effect applied; the captain is informed. A fuel change can never be an LMC → new loadsheet. Then ALL DOORS CLOSE.
The aircraft leaves the blocks. In ACARS ops a revised final loadsheet may still be uplinked during pushback/taxi (with approved procedures) — but it must be accepted before takeoff. The MVT (movement message) is sent.
Post-departure telexes go over the Type B network to destination/downline stations: LDM (pax by category + load per hold), CPM (ULD per position), UCM (ULD stock control).
No takeoff without completed loadsheet acceptance. The stab trim is set from the loadsheet's MACTOW value.
Loadsheet, LIR and NOTOC are retained (EASA: last mass & balance documentation ~3 months). The arrival station has already planned offload/transit from the LDM/CPM.
How the academy works
Load Control Academy is an educational simulator. Each flight runs through nine phases with your decisions scored as you go, and every flight keeps its own progress in your browser. The loading demo, the MAC lab and the fleet guide are free sandboxes; the exam has 500 questions in 20 sections. Figures are illustrative but internally consistent; real operations follow the airline’s approved manuals (OM-A / IATA AHM).
Sources
IATA AHM 514 / 515 / 518 / 560 / 581 / 590 · EASA CAT.POL.MAB.100 · UK CAA CAP 1008 · FAA AC 120-27F · SKYbrary
Author
Built by Ahmet Faruk Tuna, Ground Operations Risk Manager at Turkish Airlines.