Close to Home by John McPherson for March 05, 2021

It looks like Dalcon might have that seat. It looks like he and Bleeb are playing hide and go seek on the airplane.

Weight and Balance are indeed important, but just rearrange the luggage underneath a little bit. One doesn’t want to be so close to critical that people walking around will adversely change the weight and balance.

But then I digress, how else are you going to embarrass the poor lady.

Looks to me like an A or a B would do more good!

I think this flys well with “me too”.

Masks, John. We wear them on airplanes, now. All of us.

Because half the left engine just fell off?

If the pilot can re-arrange cargo to balance the aircraft for take-off & landing, why not human cargo???

Only move if it’s a window seat.

There’s a stowaway!

“You’re just singling me out because I’m not purple!”

Clearly a case of profiling. File a complaint.

Once had that happen on a small commuter plane…

This is why I’m never flying on a plane!!!

How rude.

I had this happen to me many years ago. Eastern Airlines had shuttles between major east coast cities. Fixed price, just show up. We went from NYC (Laguardia) to Montreal on a slow day. We took seats in the rear of the plane and were asked to move forward of the wings. This was a regular sized plane so I was surprised that we could make a difference in the balance.

once a flight attendant asked if she could sit a nervous passenger with us. Man that woman could talk……..

My daughter and I were on a half full plane. Single cockpit, jet, the pilot came in, at least 300 lbs, had to squeeze through the door. Passengers were asked move to the back to balance the plane.

Was on a turbo prop plane years ago where they shuffled passengers around.

I’ve never been asked to move on a plane, but I have seen it happen. The pilot asked a big guy and a small lady to exchange seats.

On small planes this happens quite a bit. On something as big as this cartoon’s plane, I’d be worried.

Is this a fat joke?!

They test how well airliners handle with passengers moving around the cabin by filling one with barrels, and pumping water between them, https://c8.alamy.com/comp/R00ERM/a-a-380-test-airplaine-with-water-tanks-for-the-weight-and-balance-of-the-aircraft-R00ERM.jpg

My wife and I honeymooned on Virgin Gorda. We flew to San Juan, Puerto Rico then a puddle jumper to Tortola, and a ferry to Virgin Gorga. Before boarding the plane to Tortola our pilot first apologized and then asked everyone how much they weighed. ;-) The plane was a Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander. Up to 9 passengers if someone sits in the copilot seat. There’s an interior shot in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEezFUb8Zz4

I was on a little puddle jumper with three other passengers. One of them was 6’4" and he said 250 lbs when asked how much he weighed.

When we boarded, the pilot told me and the two girls to sit on the left hand side, and the really big guy got to sit on the right side by himself. When we landed, the pilot told me that he had to struggle to keep the trim, and that he really must have miscalculated that guy’s weight, the three of us didn’t make up for him. Meaning that guy was pushing 400 lbs.

Asking some one to move or the possibility of crashing. What a quandary.

“Oooooooh, thanks for askin’… but could you possibly ask some else? My emotional support goat prefers aisle seats that are forward of the wings, but not so far forward that he can see the bulkhead, but not so far back that he would interfere with the emergency exit row people… you know, ‘cause they have an important job to do in the event of a…. you know… an incident.”

“… and could you bring me a Diet Coke… and maybe a SkyMall… he doesn’t read, but he’s feeling the urge to chew!

We have to fly to home to a small regional airport. Have been requested to do this more than once. One time we flew from SLC to Burbank, Ca. Not really a small plane. But they had to do balance the plane. Asked me and my companion to move to the back of the plane. Turns out we were very lucky. A baby in the bulk head seat screamed it’s head off the whole trip to Burbank. We hardly heard it. A fellow passenger told us when we got off, they wish they had taken up the move offer because they got the full effect of the baby screaming.

Okay, not to be picky, but do you see the size of those seats? Holy cow! We can only dream of such luxury in planes today.

If 15C is in first class, sure…….

Maybe it’s the male/female ratio that needs balancing.

They actually do this…before the flight of course. You have to have been on a scantily filled plane to have experienced it. My most extreme experience was as the only passenger – the attendant and had to stay on opposite sides of the plane throughout.

She has to be careful not to sit on Bleeb.

Bleep is hiding under a seat, afraid they’ll figure out, it’s him throwing off the balance.

And would you and the rest of the people on this plane PUT ON A MASK!

Body positive community will NOT like this

Or better yet, the cargo hold.

I can’t believe Bleeb is missing a chance like this, but I guess he has to keep an eye on Dalcon, instead of the stewardess, :)

I’ve actually been part of that scenario. I wasn’t obese enough to be asked to move, but two businessmen were. It was a little turboprop, flying from Idaho Falls to Boise – in a blizzard. The co-pilot wasn’t so polite – “You two – move to the back.” Following the incredulous looks, “I said MOVE!” They did… :)

Is that for weight balance… or for “gender” balance?

…and when the captain points out the Grand Canyon, let’s not all rush to that side of the plane.

She’s already in ‘c’

That’s what is always done on small commuter plans. I took a flight once where the gate attendants asked every passenger their weight

Had the same thing happen on a small prop-jet from Denver to Montrose