Byline: Liz Fedor; Staff Writer
Champion Air grounded eight of its planes Friday while it worked with the Federal Aviation Administration to address concerns about how the carrier assessed the weight and balance characteristics of its planes.
'Every time a plane takes off, you have to make a calculation that its weight has been properly estimated and that the aircraft's center of balance has been determined,' said Champion spokesman Jon Austin.
Improper handling of those calculations can make a plane dangerously unstable.
The FAA raised questions Thursday about how Champion performed those calculations. Bloomington-based Champion addressed them Friday and was given FAA clearance to resume flight operations, Austin said.
Tony Molinaro, an FAA spokesman, said Champion voluntarily grounded eight of its 11 727-200 airplanes. FAA inspectors from the Minneapolis flight standards office worked with Champion on the problem.
Molinaro declined to provide details of the agency's concerns or how it became aware of the issue.
Champion's Austin said the concern focused on Champion's weight and balance procedures, not on a specific aircraft or flight. But he stressed that it's important to calculate weight and balance accurately to ensure safe operation of an airplane.
'The center of gravity is a variable in predicting how the aircraft will perform,' Austin said. 'The weight of the aircraft is a variable in things like takeoff and landing speeds and the amount of fuel needed for operations.'
Champion, which employs nearly 700 people, provides nationwide aviation charter service to corporations, professional sports teams and travel businesses. The Minnesota Twins have flown on Champion.
MLT Vacations Inc., a subsidiary of Northwest Airlines, was affected by Friday's grounding. Two charter flights, marketed by MLT's Worry Free Vacations, were delayed, said MLT spokeswoman Kendra Klemme. By Friday afternoon, operations had returned to normal.
Stephen Spellman, Champion's president and CEO, and four other executives recently bought Champion in a sale that closed June 20.
They acquired the company from the Carl Pohlad family and Eagan-based Northwest Airlines. Pohlad, the Minnesota Twins owner, acquired 60 percent of Champion in 1997, while Northwest acquired 40 percent.
Champion flies out of the Humphrey Terminal.
Liz Fedor is at lfedor@startribune.com.
