Aircraft Weighing Systems Business Plan

The product consists of three principal parts:

• The patented Heavy Lifting 3 platform weight & balance weigh bridge (Hardware).
• The provision of data collection and transmission services (Hardware and Software).
• The provision of consultant services to evaluate customer’s needs and design custom weigh bridges, for a fee of $200 per hour.

The first two parts are included in the sales price. Consultant services vary by client needs, and will be billed separately. **There are no consultant fees assessed for testing and sale of the initial prototypes, since that is part of the R&D costs of developing the new product.

Product quality is paramount. Always with maximum safety, quality and reliability guaranteed (ISO 9001 certified). Quality and assurance audit systems to maintain maximum quality at all stages of manufacture, operation and maintenance of Heavy Lifting systems. 

These products and services are provided by Heavy Lifting, Inc. personnel, weigh bridge manufacturers (under license), and data service providers to aviation.

The Weigh Bridge

Heavy Lifting, Inc.’s aircraft weight & balance product is the ideal system for airport operators and owners.

The Heavy Lifting weigh bridge system allows airport operators to accurately weigh all aircraft using the airport’s facilities. At present, the system used by most international airport operators is charging by aircraft type and number of cycles of take-off and landing or by certified maximum take off weight (MTOW).

Some operators may be operating consistently below their maximum allowable take-off or landing weights, but are being charged at the one flat rate. Some operators may be cheating the system by operating over allowable weights. This may be possible as no accurate, independent and verifiable weighing system is available at airports until now. These operators will be caught, fined or have their licenses suspended or revoked. Nobody wants a deceitful operator on their airfield or in their system. These operators may arrive over-weight from overseas, secure in the knowledge that no one will know.

Airport operators will have the ability to adjust their charges to airline users in line with actual weights. That will allow the airport operator to more accurately assess the impact effects of various weights on the runways, taxi ways and hard standing areas. Visiting aircraft, non-scheduled aircraft and military and state aircraft can be more accurately and fairly billed for their use of the airport.

Most importantly, airport operators will have a tool at their disposal with which to independently verify that all aircraft operating at that airport are operating within the law, as far as aircraft weight is concerned. This will have enormous benefits to the operator in the event of the unthinkable but inevitable fact of an aircraft accident/incident on the airport or to or from that airport. Public liability insurance premiums should show favorable reductions for airports with the Heavy Lifting, Inc. systems in operation.

3.1 Product and Service Description

Weigh Bridges

Heavy Lifting, Inc. provides Heavy Lifting weigh bridges manufactured by world leading weigh bridge manufacturing companies to airport owners, airline operators or authorities.

Starting prices are as low as $1,000,000 for a fully functional Heavy Lifting weigh bridge, designed for aircraft from commuter aircraft to international jet transports such as the B747. Smaller units and portable weighing machines are scheduled for future availability priced from $150,000.

Heavy Lifting, Inc. provides airport owners with construction advice and services for the installation of licensed Heavy Lifting weigh bridges either as lead contractor or sole contractor. We require pre-payment of one half (1/2) the total sales price upon beginning the installation. The rest is due at completion of the project. Normal per-consultant fees for pre-project cost/benefit analyses are $200 per hour plus expenses.

Consulting and Customization

Heavy Lifting, Inc. provides operating and in-service advice and consultation for licensed Heavy Lifting weigh bridges to airport customers. As a guide, Heavy Lifting, Inc. charges $200 per hour plus expenses per consultant. The services provided include but are not limited to:

• Customization of Heavy Lifting weigh bridges to suit customers needs, such as number, placement and complexity of data servers and terminals.
• Advice, based on studies, trials and experience on the location and number of Heavy Lifting machines required.
• Advice on strategy to cope with possible airline, manufacturer or other interested group resistance to the Heavy Lifting concept.

Heavy Lifting, Inc. provides advice and consultation to local and international insurance industry representatives as to:

• The Heavy Lifting concept.
• The need for improved flight safety and consumer confidence by the use of Heavy Lifting weigh bridges.
• Legal implications of NOT employing Heavy Lifting at all airports serving commercial civil aviation.
• Consultation on the International civil aviation related aspects of safety oversight and audit programs and the changing nature of liability for aircraft accidents.

Fees are charged on either a per consultant $200 per hour plus expenses basis or a contract service fee basis.

Heavy Lifting, Inc. offers State Governments our full range of products and services including: 

• Heavy Lifting weigh bridges
• Heavy Lifting data services (Hardware and Software). Prices by negotiation
• Heavy Lifting consultant services. Per consultant, $200 per hour plus expenses

Heavy Lifting, Inc. offers accident investigation organizations, such as NTSB, consultancy and Heavy Lifting data and information on a per-hour-plus-expenses basis. Heavy Lifting certified weight data can be an invaluable tool to verify the take off weight of a particular ill fated flight subject to investigation. Similarly accurate and verifiable aircraft landing weights will remove one more unknown from the landing accident story.

Fees are charged at the standard, per consultant, $200 per-hour-plus-expenses basis for personal representations or at a data provision rate.

Service Partnerships

Heavy Lifting, Inc. offers service partnership arrangements to Boeing Aeroplane, Airbus Industries and other international aircraft manufacturers. These arrangements can involve but are not limited to:

• The sharing of technologies and information regarding Heavy Lifting weigh bridges.
• The sharing of information regarding the Heavy Lifting concept of aircraft weight verification and compliance.
• The provision of Heavy Lifting machines and services at company airfields such as Boeing field, Seattle, USA. 
• The linking of Heavy Lifting products to Aircraft manufacturer’s products at the design and marketing phases of new aircraft production.
• Access to Heavy Lifting database for manufacturer’s aircraft operating weight by flight, date, model number and aircraft number.

Service partnerships are by contracted agreements only. See the section on Strategic Alliances, number 5.3, below, for further details. 

Data Production

Heavy Lifting, Inc. offers Data production services (Heavy Lifting data services) – These include but are not limited to:

• Provision of data to accident investigators.
• Provision of data to aviation authorities.
• Provision of data to airport owners and authorities as applicable.
• Provision of data to Insurance industry professionals and companies.
• Provision of data to aircraft manufacturers.
• Provision of data to educational institutions.
• Provision of data to Safety related organizations.
• Provision of data to IFALPA.
• Provision of data to ICAO.
• Provision of data to IATA.
• Provision of data to consumer rights and passenger interest groups.
• Provision of data by Court order.
• Provision of data for legal firms for deceased estate litigation.

All data information provision services are subject to certain conditions and restrictions regarding there use. Fees are based on various scales depending upon the organization requesting the information and the sensitivity of the data. Educational institutions can be provided with statistical summaries and Annual reports free of charge.

3.2 Competitive Comparison

There is currently no competition.

As the concept is embraced by more and more airports, airlines, governments and regulatory agencies around the U.S. and overseas, other weigh bridge manufacturers will be encouraged to tender for work under license. Heavy Lifting, Inc.’s aim is to capture the major market share of world aviation weigh bridge acquisition through excellence of product, quality assurance guaranteed (ISO 9002).

World-wide patents will be obtained by Heavy Lifting, Inc. to protect the product. U.S. patent [# omitted] has been obtained and is owned by Mr. A. Airway. U.S. registered trademark protection has been obtained by Mr. A. Airway.

Later licenses to build Heavy Lifting weigh bridges will be granted to selected weigh bridge manufacturers as necessary. Due to future state-imposed licensing requirements, Heavy Lifting, Inc. will be in a favorable position to win aviation weigh bridge tenders.

Aggressive litigious legal assistance will be used to maintain market share where necessary. Hopefully this will not be needed except in the rare cases of government, industry or airport owner corruption or collusion.

Competition will be further restricted by government regulation, once obtained, as weigh bridge manufacturers will have to be licensed. Licensing requirements will initially be drawn up by Heavy Lifting, Inc. consultants working from previous development, design and construction experience, and the aviation detail protocol requirements should deter all but the largest weighbridge manufacturers.

Protocols such as traceability of Heavy Lifting components and maintenance systems will be employed throughout the weighbridge design, patent and construction phases. Airport owners, Government agencies and others requiring aviation weigh bridges that are still interested in sourcing their own manufacturers will find it easier and cheaper to license the patented Heavy Lifting weigh bridge from Heavy Lifting, Inc.

3.3 Sales Literature

All company literature is yet to be developed. This includes basic corporate identity material as well as advertising executions. Start-up projections include an expense item for this necessary development work included in the website design item. The logo has already been designed and will be registered. The company website will be the primary marketing medium method for our products.

Sales and marketing in the initial period will be by direct sales approaches to prospective customers by the principals of Heavy Lifting, Inc., using customized power point presentations and personal briefings. Subsequent meetings can be arranged by tele-conference calls.

An important adjunct to these initial marketing and sales efforts will be the presentation of briefings and papers, of the Heavy Lifting concept, by Mr. A. Airway, to prestigious international aviation groups such as:

• the International Insurance Council
• the International Airport Owners’ Federation
• Boeing and Airbus company management, the International Federation of Airline Pilot Associations (IFALPA)
• the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
• The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS)
• The International Air Transport Association (IATA)

3.4 Fulfillment

Specifications for the Heavy Lifting weigh bridge, manufactured under licence by [proprietary and confidential information removed],  are available on demand by interested parties, through Heavy Lifting, Inc. All installations will be in-ground units. These units will be tailored to local ground conditions concerning such things as drainage, slope and soil type.

Heavy Lifting, Inc.’s weigh bridges will be capable of weighing aircraft from small regional commuter such as the EMB 135 to giant B744F cargo aircraft. Heavy Lifting weigh bridges will provide visual indications on site to the pilot in command of the aircraft via large digital display panels (also visible to the passengers). Speed across the weigh bridge will be limited to 5 kph for normal use. For compliance, a stop of up to 30 seconds may be required.

Additionally, utilizing state-of-the-art software and additional hardware (dedicated servers and intranet connections), digital read outs to any number of slave stations can be provided, such as to airport operations, airline operations, engineering/maintenance watch rooms, crash fire control room, aircraft recovery and jacking/towing assistance control, and regulatory databases.

Global accident and investigation organizations and the Insurance Council can be provided with database information by arrangement with the Heavy Lifting owners. All weigh bridges will be to OEML standards. The weighing components will have traceable component logging and government-supervised accuracy measurement and audit.

Heavy Lifting weigh bridges will be accurate to within 1-200 kg., depending upon the time allowed for measurement. The weight calibration equipment is conditional upon the provision of concrete weight blocks of up to forty tons each. Heavy lift equipment must be available, via hire or airport equipment to move the blocks on to the weighbridge for accuracy testing and verification.

All data obtained by Heavy Lifting weigh bridges will be stored against an individual flight number and aircraft registration number as specified on the flight plan. Electronic date, time, location and registration stamps of the weighed aircraft will be provided independently by Heavy Lifting Systems.

Detailed engineering drawings of the Heavy Lifting Mk I are available and can be provided to interested parties on request.

3.5 Technology

The hardware component of the Heavy Lifting system is proven technology in other transport industries, such as the road transport industry. The software, however, is peculiar to aircraft. The software must be capable of:

• Calculating the gross weight of the aircraft by totalizing the three platforms’ weight measurements.
• Providing a center of gravity (CG) position in relation to the aircraft mean chord (MAC).
• Correcting measured weight for the effect of wind over the aerofoil surfaces of the aircraft.
• Correcting weight measurement for temperature variations.
• Capturing the date & time against a particular aircraft registration.
• Capturing the registration data electronically.
• Providing a traffic guidance system for aircraft to be measured.

The captured data will be:

• Stored on Heavy Lifting Inc’s servers.
• Produced for customers by email packet via the Internet.
• Produced for customers by data packet via local Intranet.
• Data transmission and recording will be via wireless link on site.

The company website will include a customer log-on service to allow customers to log on and download archival data. 

IT requirements for Heavy Lifting, Inc. will consist of:

• Data storage servers.
• Communication servers (Internet/Intranet).
• Hardware units on site such as CG and wind factor units.
• Company IT servers and work stations.
• Company financial computerized system.

As far as possible, off the shelf computer/server and storage units will be used.

Technology affects Heavy Lifting, Inc. to the extent that all communications in the field will be by wireless high speed data connection. Additionally, as proprietory software is developed, improvements and modification states will be continuously reviewed. 

3.6 Future Products and Services

Future load cell technology will improve weighing accuracy and will be constantly monitored as it develops. The engineering and construction techniques for Heavy Lifting will be constantly reviewed with a view to improving reliability, accuracy, environmental impact and cost.

A  second design model Heavy Lifting Systems (Standard model) is planned to cater for smaller airports with maximum aircraft weight limits suitable for the runways provided. These units can accommodate aircraft up to B767 or equivalent size and will be of twin platform design.

A third design model is planned that caters for small aircraft and special function needs. These smaller model Heavy Lifting (Basic model) can be manufactured to cover temporary needs such as special aviation events at that airport for a limited duration. For example, air show weekends, aviation commuter trade expositions or FAA oversight and audit checks. These Basic Heavy Lifting models can be made road/rail transportable and placed in above-ground locations on an airport maneuvering area. Event organizers may consider event entrant pricing structures based on landing or takeoff weights.

Another use for the Basic Heavy Lifting weigh bridge could be during airfield reconstruction, when other runways/taxi ways with lower LCN numbers have to be used. Temporary aircraft weight monitoring pricing services can be provided by airport authorities. The size of these installations is limited only by the physical limitations of the site.