Quick question: I'm trying to catch a ride tomorrow and for the first time in 5 years there is more than 25 people booked on the flight. How often are you guys weight restricted? What's the max you can realistically take? Is the jumpseat even an option? Thanks for the help!

Where are you flying to/from? There are plenty of factors... especially once winter hits and weights jump up. But yea we have had 30 plus a jumpseat, out of vegas to fresno... The weights just worked that night with the temps and weather.

Again it all depends on where you are flying to/from and if you can get in touch with the crew to make them aware. Normally thou 28 or 29 is the max... oh and if the flight has kids, that can help a lot too for jumpseaters..

Normally 25 is should still be fine for you.

This might be TMI for these boards. If anyone things so then just drop me a line. Thankx.

First, I'm an E-120 Capt.

It all comes down to the bags in the back. The reason why Vegas usually works for 30+JS is because people are only going there for a day or two and pack very light (no connecting PAX); also the a/c has to be an Aft-Galley in order to offset the forward JS’r (it's next to impossible to ballance a FWD GLY with 30 PAX, A JS'r and bags while keeping the MTOW under 26,433 lbs). If you're not going in and out of Vegas then the cargo compartment should be full enough to restrict the 120 to about 27-29 Pax. If it's a long flight (SFO to MFR, LMT, OTH, etc) with a huge headwind or alternate then we'll usually be down around 25 or so. Also if it's hot and high then you can expect restriction down to around 23-25.

Another factor is the a/c; their weights can vary as much as 600 lbs. If it's a N5##SW a/c then it's heavy, usually with a BOW up around 17,800+ (some above 17,9##). All the others are around 17,500 with 216SW and 218SW being the lightest (around 17,2##). As for more numbers, usually the fuel load is between 1800 and 2200 lbs. It doesn't start restricing PAX until you put more than 2400 lbs on board (ZFW 24,030 lbs.)

If you can give me your departure and destination I can give you better numbers. But for a rough estimate just plan 28 and you should be fine. And as Hopper said, let the CA know because we tanker a lot of fuel around so we don't have to fill up at outstations where it's expensive. If you let the CA know he'll do his best to make room for you.

Just let me know and I'll help as much as I can.

Yeah, it's the great new paint jobs on those birds that add about 400 pounds of weight to the BOW. I wonder if they realized how bad they were killing the payloads on these planes when they painted them.

Absolutely!!! UAL’s infinite wisdom adds weight during a time when they're trying to save on weight. If it were up to me I'd keep them all in the polished beer can scheme, no FA cart, aft galley, FIS so you don't have the weight of the CRT's, ducting and fans.