Ai Tong is a load planner in the Load Planning Division of the Central Operations Control Center. Since joining BGS in 2006, he has accumulated 16 years of experience in load planning and holds certification from 18 airlines—placing him at the top of the division in terms of the number of certifications held by its staff. He has twice been awarded the company-level Safety Model Award and has been selected numerous times to participate in major air transportation support missions. Committed to continuous improvement and self-enhancement, he won first place in the department’s 2020 AnKang Cup Skills Competition and was honored with the title of “Ground Service Craftsman” in the company’s inaugural “Ground Service Craftsman” appraisal in 2023.

Have a direction in your heart, and strength beneath your feet.

“To go far, one must start from close by; to climb high, one must begin with humility.” In Aitong’s heart, “loving one’s job” means dedicating oneself wholeheartedly to whatever line of work one is in, while “professional dedication” means immersing oneself deeply in a single field, mastering it thoroughly, and working diligently and meticulously. With a spirit akin to that of an “axis,” he has devoted himself steadfastly to the frontline of cargo handling for sixteen years, day in and day out.

2013 In [year], Aitong obtained the cargo-loading qualification for Luxair Cargo, Europe’s largest cargo airline. Obtaining this qualification is extremely challenging; in Greater China, aside from agents acting on behalf of the airline, only five ground-handling personnel have managed to secure it. Luxair Cargo’s cargo-loading operations require on-site supervision and handling, often involving special types of cargo such as heavy items, extra-long goods, oddly shaped shipments, large animals, and temperature-controlled cargoes. Aitong approaches his work with humility, seeking advice from various sources, carefully studying and refining his techniques, and continuously optimizing and adjusting loading plans to ensure that oversized and overweight cargo can be loaded and unloaded more quickly and safely.

Safety is the lifeline of civil aviation—especially when it comes to load planning. During a particular passenger flight operation, he noticed that the fuel quantity provided by the flight crew significantly exceeded historical data. Normally, when calculating the required fuel amount, the captain would take into account both the fuel consumption for the flight route and the additional fuel needed for a 45-minute holding pattern over the second alternate airport. However, this time, the fuel figure provided by the captain far exceeded the actual fuel requirements for the route. Aitong insisted on conducting a second verification. After promptly communicating with the captain, the captain acknowledged his suggestion and quickly adjusted the fuel quantity, thereby averting a potential safety hazard. It is precisely because of Aitong and his colleagues’ meticulous attention to detail that countless safety risks have been avoided, ensuring that every flight takes off and lands safely.

Don't fear adversity, and don't become arrogant in times of prosperity.

The pursuit of knowledge lies in investigating things; only when things are thoroughly understood can true wisdom be attained. During the pandemic, when operating “cabin-cargo” flights, the cargo in the cabin had specific requirements regarding volume, weight, and placement—urgently calling for a new benchmarking approach for the cargo-loading positions. Leading by example, Aitong summarized and distilled differentiated operational highlights and standards for various aircraft models—including the 737-800, 787-8, 787-9, 330-200, and 330-300—thus swiftly establishing an efficient and precise support plan for these positions. We pay close attention to every single step and never overlook any detail.

During a certain vaccine charter flight operation, all vaccine shipments were temperature-controlled goods, and exceeding the set temperature range posed a risk of spoilage. After reviewing the airline’s manual, Aitong discovered that the temperature-control range for this aircraft model differed from the information provided in the captain’s notification. He immediately reported the discrepancy to his supervisor. Then, he boarded the aircraft to confirm with the crew the actual temperature of the cargo hold’s air conditioning system and double-checked whether the temperature-controlled goods had been loaded in the correct positions. On-site, he contacted the airline’s headquarters multiple times and from various angles. Thanks to his proactive actions, the vaccine shipment was ensured to be completely safe and secure.

Because the workload involved in load planning is enormous—every single kilogram matters for an aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of several hundred tons, and every piece of data must be meticulously refined—during routine operations, Aitong noticed that many airlines’ load-planning manuals contained intricate and complicated regulations. Given the frequent and extreme variations in payload and center-of-gravity data, Aitong, together with key business personnel, carefully studied and developed the “Three-Principle Approach”—“Proactive Planning, Precise Calculation, and Early Action”—to perfect the pre-loading phase and ensure smooth flight operations. In addition, he systematically identified and documented 16 critical points in the load-planning operational process, ensuring that each point was backed by solid data, grounded in well-founded procedures, and supported by clear documentation. From drafting the initial plan to compiling it into a comprehensive manual, every step has been the result of hard work and the accumulation of wisdom.

Embrace innovation and dare to try.

Resilience is the relentless spirit of forging ahead, opening paths through mountains and building bridges over rivers—unyielding in the face of countless obstacles and unbroken by any pressure or adversity. In the new era, “load planners” can keep pace with the advancing times and drive high-quality development in load planning only by daring to innovate boldly on the basis of inheritance and relentlessly pursuing excellence. The A330-300DP dynamic payload aircraft is an emerging model characterized by its versatility—“one aircraft for multiple purposes.” It is reported that this model can not only extend its range by reducing payload but also perform medium- and short-haul routes by increasing payload, thereby helping airlines boost their productivity. In 2022, while conducting manual training on this model, Aitong repeatedly calculated and thoroughly analyzed the weight-and-balance characteristics of this new aircraft type. After numerous setbacks and failures, he delved deeper into the issue each time, meticulously reviewing and summarizing his findings again and again. Ultimately, based on the differences in actual takeoff weights, he successfully determined the structural weight limits for the aircraft under various fuel weights. He discovered a unique pattern: when the aircraft’s center of gravity enters the dynamic payload envelope range, the variation in remaining payload doubles. Drawing on this insight, he devised targeted solutions that simplified complex manual calculations and established robust risk-prevention measures, providing new and innovative approaches and ideas for manual calculations on this aircraft model. These efforts further strengthen the “absolute safety” defense line in load planning.

General Secretary Xi Jinping once said, “Youth shines through trials and tribulations; life is elevated through struggle.” Looking at the present day, our times call for those who are steadfast, proactive, and daring to take on challenges. As an ordinary employee working tirelessly on the front line of cargo loading, Aitong is using his hardworking hands to paint a vibrant backdrop for an otherwise ordinary and monotonous life. He remains calm and focused, neither restless nor impatient, and with an unwavering commitment, he stays true to his purest original aspiration.