The Loading Plan
Dear VIP flight attendants, you know that it’s very convenient to keep ourselves organised and list all the items you use during the flight.
Every bottle or can you opened, every pack of Pringles or nuts.
This can save you time when, back at the base or when you need to go for aircraft shopping. You know exactly what to buy and in which quantity.
What if you take over an aircraft without handover?
In this case, the loading plan is coming on support. You can find it on board the Private Jet, usually together with some cockpit document.
It’s a small book with all the spaces, cupboards, drawers, dog houses, etc that you can find on board.
Their content is clearly detailed in the book and the etiquette requires that you restock the aircraft according to the loading plan before another colleague takes over.
Who does the loading plan?
Usually the document is written when the aircraft join a new Operator. The lead flight attendant (leader of the flight attendants assigned to one specific registration) or the chief flight attendant (the equivalent of cabin crew manager) have the duty to go on board and decide where to put what.
It might sound easy, but in fact is a long and demanding task.
You have to consider that the position of the equipment must be efficient and easy to reach. But at the same time it must be safe.
It should follow the logic of common sense and also must work well with the rules imposed by authorities.
Also, some Private Jets come out from the manufacture with an empty galley. In this case the lead flight attendant or chief flight attendant work together with the maintenance team.
They need to assemble all the tools you need such as the correct size of glass rank, plates stoppers and cutlery holders, just to name a few.
Usually it takes few weeks to stock an aircraft from zero. This task takes place at the same time as the registration of the Private Jet under the company AOC (Air Operator Certificate) or during a long maintenance inspection.
Once is written, you are 3/4 done. Then, you must keep it up-to- date with every change that occurs.
For example: you used to have “Rindle” glassware, but they stopped to produce the type of champagne flute you have on board.
The company decide then to change all champagne flutes with another brand. The loading plan should be updated with the new supplier in name and quantity.
In conclusion, the Loading Plan is a very useful document for a VIP Flight Attendant on Private Jets. If you restock your aircraft accordingly, you can’t be wrong.