Determining a load condition of an aircraft

A sensing device, comprising:

• a sensor operable to sense a characteristic related to a length of a strut of a landing gear of an aircraft, the device being mountable relative to the strut during loading operations and demountable after loading operations prior to the aircraft moving from the loading operations position,
• the sensing device being operable to provide an output relating to the sensed characteristic for receipt by a data processing device operable to use the received output to determine a load condition of the aircraft during loading operations,
• wherein the sensor is operable to sense an angle between first and second link arms of a link mechanism of the landing gear about a common pivot axis, the sensing device comprising first and second pivotally interconnected members, respective mount portions of the members being adapted to be removably mountable to the link mechanism so as to align a pivot axis of the sensing device with the common pivot axis of the first and second arms, and
• wherein the sensing device further comprises first and second members pivotally interconnected at end portions thereof, wherein respective opposite end portions of the members comprise respective quick release mount portions for removably mounting the members directly to respective link arms of the link mechanism.