At an airline or air-cargo operation, you handle the weight-and-balance calculation for flights — verifying cargo and passenger weights, calculating center-of-gravity, producing the load sheets that pilots sign off before pushback.
The work runs at a load-control station with airline-operations systems — pulling cargo and passenger manifests, calculating weight distribution, generating load sheets, working with ramp and gate operations on weight changes. You're often the safety-critical hand on aircraft weight-and-balance — pilots fly based on your numbers. Load-sheet accuracy and dispatch timeliness drive performance.
Where it gets uncomfortable is the safety-critical dimension of weight-and-balance work — aircraft handling depends on accurate weight distribution, and errors can affect flight safety. Variance across employers is wide: at major airlines the role runs under detailed FAA-approved weight-and-balance programs with structured procedures; at regional carriers and air-cargo operations it carries broader cross-function scope.
Agents who thrive tend to carry detail-orientation, calm under dispatch pressure, and disciplined regulatory awareness. FAA weight-and-balance training and IATA dangerous-goods credentials anchor advancement. The trade-off is the shift-work cadence of airline operations and the safety-responsibility weight of weight-and-balance work.
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Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Admin & Office roles →At an airline or air-cargo operation, you handle the weight-and-balance calculation for flights — verifying cargo and passenger weights, calculating center-of-gravity, producing the load sheets that pilots sign off before pushback.
Median pay for a Weight and Balance Control Agent is about $46K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $35K to $60K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Monitoring, and Social Perceptiveness.
Most people in this role hold a high school diploma.
Employment in this field is projected to decline about 4.8% through 2034, with roughly 49,720 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Inventory Control Specialist, Senior Inventory Control Specialist, and Inventory Specialist.
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