Payload Profiles
Payload profiles define statistical distributions that control how passengers, baggage, and cargo are loaded onto flights during dispatch. Rather than using fixed values, each parameter is modeled as a Gaussian (normal) distribution with a mean and standard deviation, producing realistic variation across flights.
Backoffice path: backoffice/payload-profiles
Available to roles: System Administrator, Administrator
How Distributions Work
Every configurable field in a payload profile uses a mean/standard deviation pair. During dispatch, the system samples from these distributions to generate realistic, varied loading for each flight.
- Mean -- the average (center) value
- Stddev (standard deviation) -- controls how much variation occurs around the mean
For example, a passenger load factor with mean 0.82 and stddev 0.10 will produce flights that are typically around 82% full, but with natural variation ranging roughly from 62% to 100%.
All fields are nullable. When a field is left empty, the system uses its built-in default for that parameter.
Field Groups
Passenger Load
| Field | Description | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Pax Load Factor (mean) | Average proportion of seats filled | 0.0 -- 1.0 |
| Pax Load Factor (stddev) | Variation in seat fill rate | 0.0 -- 1.0 |
Baggage Probabilities
These fields control the likelihood that each passenger carries different types of baggage:
| Field | Description | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Carry-on (mean / stddev) | Probability a passenger has a carry-on bag | 0.0 -- 1.0 |
| Gate Check (mean / stddev) | Probability a passenger gate-checks a bag | 0.0 -- 1.0 |
| Checked Bag (mean / stddev) | Probability a passenger has a checked bag | 0.0 -- 1.0 |
| Extra Bag (mean / stddev) | Probability a passenger has an additional checked bag | 0.0 -- 1.0 |
| Special Item (mean / stddev) | Probability a passenger has a special item (e.g., sports equipment, musical instrument) | 0.0 -- 1.0 |
Cargo
| Field | Description | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Cargo Load Factor (mean) | Average proportion of cargo hold capacity used for freight | 0.0 -- 1.0 |
| Cargo Load Factor (stddev) | Variation in freight loading | 0.0 -- 1.0 |
Weights
Weight fields define the physical mass of passengers and their items. Unlike load factors and probabilities, these use absolute weight values with a minimum of 0:
| Field | Description | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Pax Weight (mean / stddev) | Individual passenger weight | min: 0 |
| Checked Bag Weight (mean / stddev) | Weight per checked bag | min: 0 |
| Carry-on Weight (mean / stddev) | Weight per carry-on bag | min: 0 |
| Special Item Weight (mean / stddev) | Weight per special item | min: 0 |
Assignment
Payload profiles support polymorphic assignment, meaning a single profile can be attached to different types of entities. This enables very granular control over payload characteristics. A profile can be assigned to:
| Assignment Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Airlines | Applies to all flights operated by the airline |
| Fleets | Applies to all aircraft in the fleet |
| Subfleets | Applies to all aircraft in the subfleet |
| Aircraft | Applies to a specific tail number |
| Airports | Applies to flights departing from or arriving at the airport (with departure/arrival context) |
| Schedules | Applies to a specific scheduled route |
Practical Examples
This flexible assignment system supports scenarios such as:
- Different passenger weights by region -- Assign heavier average passenger weights to long-haul international routes and lighter weights to regional routes.
- Airport-specific cargo patterns -- A major cargo hub airport might have a higher cargo load factor than a small regional airport.
- Seasonal adjustments -- Assign a high pax load factor profile to schedules operating during peak holiday periods.
- Aircraft-specific overrides -- A specific aircraft configured for charter operations might carry more baggage per passenger than the fleet average.
Usage Tips
- Start with a single profile at the airline level to establish baseline values, then create specialized profiles for specific routes or aircraft as needed.
- Use small standard deviations (e.g.,
0.05) for parameters that should be relatively consistent, and larger values (e.g.,0.15) for parameters with high natural variation. - Leave fields null when you want the system defaults to apply. You only need to populate fields where you want to deviate from the defaults.
- The baggage probability fields are independent -- a single passenger can simultaneously have a carry-on, checked bag, extra bag, and special item if the probabilities align.
- Weight values should reflect realistic averages for your virtual airline's operating region and route network.