I would like to petition the FAA to include spreadsheets within the allowed way s to accomplish existing methods of weight & balance. Weight and balance is currentl y taught within the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA - H - 8083 - 25A) and the Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook (FAA - H - 8083 - 1A) and within several FAA - 8083 - () documents, and many other FAA - Approved Approved Aircraft Flight Manuals, etc. It is not my intention to change current aircraft certification standards to be updated so as to exclude currentl y approved and taught methods of performing weight and balance. Methods for performing Weight and Balance found in Pilot's Handbook of Aeron autical Knowledge include three methods mentioned on pages 9 - 7 through 9 - 11; the Computational Method, the Graph Method, and the Table Method. I am a Flight Instructor who has taught airmen how to do weight and balance, and a former international FAR 121 airline pilot. As an FAR Part 121 airline pilot, I was denied the ability

to complete weight and balance within my

Excel spreadsheets. I simply wanted to use Excel spreadsheets to complete the Table method of performing weight and balance using adjusted we ights that combine rounded weights and moments within one numeral. Fearing that I would “enter weight and balance data into the spreadsheets that was possibly out of date and inaccurate”, which was not the case at all as I was entering onl y information nee ded for the immediate flight from updated lists, a check airman disallowed me the use of the calculator known as Excel spreadsheets. After all, Excel or any other spreadsheet type was never included in any FAA publication. Currently approved methods of ap proved weight and balance procedures include the Computational Method, the Graph Method, and the Table Method. While these methods are based on technolo gi es that existed in the earl y decades of aviation, more accurate methods will eventually be required as fuel consumption reduction based on most advantageous Cent er of Gravity for reducing lift - associated - drag (induced drag) reduction, often a rearward CG with traditional empennage down force designs , may require highl y accurate methods of computing CG. Aircraft could be loaded more properly and accuratel y for fuel burn reduction if spreadsheets were available, but older methods could still be used if technology were not available to accomplish weight and balance, with greater flight restrictions possibly ne cessary . C urrent technology includes weight scales and weight sensors that can be used to accurately weigh all people, cargo, fuel, water, and amenities loaded onto an aircraft . Combined with the proper arm , we can multiply weight times arm to generate the proper moment. Transitioning presently

approved procedures of accomplishing weight and balance to include and incorporate spreadsheets will help many perform calculations today . This is not to exclude present methods of weight and balance calculations. Th ere is no need to change currentl y certified aircraft and training methods. The FAA has not, to my

knowledge, been in the business of approving or disapproving all possible calculators that may be used to calculate weight and balance. I have flown in FAR Part 121 Supplemental Airline service where extremely

fast and accurate weight and balance data was needed. Any transposition of numerals to incorrect numbers would have to be identified and corrected as fast as possible. Spreadsheets isolate data inputs for later inspection as do few calculators. Using spreadsheets may actually help in any

case, and this does not change an y currentl y approved and use methods of calculating weight and balance. Helicopters have lateral and longitudinal Center of Gravity Envelopes which must be examined, too; this is deferred to the Rotorcraft Flying Handbook, FAA - H - 8083 - 21; it is also found in the Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook (FAA - H - 8083 - 1A). And those aircraft having Percentage of Mean Aerody namic Chord Center of Gravity

calculations are addressed within the pages of Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook (FAA H - 8083 - 1A), but not within the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge; this method is common among airliners and some gliders! The Spreadsheet Method adds to the arsenal of tools available today and prepares for additional possibilities in the future.In the future, the "Spreadsheet Method" can become its own method gradually from aircraft certification onwards . Spreadsheet Method needs onl y inputs that outputs longitudinal CG and, if needed, lateral Center of Gravity calculations. In addition, if Percentage of Mean Aerody namic Chord calculations are needed, it would be practical to do those calculations within a spreadsheet. All CG and Weight calculatio ns are easil y performed in a spreadsheet that allows entries to be checked instantly for possible error. The transition to this possibility of the future begins b y teaching spreadsheet calculator usage to accomplish Table, Graph, and Computational Methods of Weight and Balance. Today , spreadsheets should be taught as an optional, additional tool to accomplish any method of Weight and Balance. The Computational Method should always be retained in its most basic, pencil and paper form so that airmen understan d the basics of weight and balance. Transitioning presently

approved procedures of accomplishing weight and balance to include and incorporate spreadsheets will help many perform calculations today . This is not to exclude present methods of weight and bal ance calculations. There is no need to change currentl y certified aircraft and training methods. I find it necessary

to ask for permission to use spreadsheets as a simple calculator because I have been denied permission by

a check airman at an airline wh en I simply wanted to input data for a single flight , and have the tool ready to input data for each flight directl y into the spreadsheet every flight. Using spreadsheets, Airmen (Pilots, Mechanics, Repairmen, Flight Engineers, Flight and Ground Instruct ors) will exercise spreadsheet disciplines in order to learn spreadsheet setup and make everyday entries to do the calculations of weight and balance. Disciplines needed to perform spreadsheet setup and accurate use will be stressed as it is taught. Pitfalls of using spreadsheets, such as inputting updated, correct data and discussion of updating databases of current aircraft weight and balance will be included as airmen are taught.