Lesson 14: Weight And

Balance
 Importance Of Weight And Balance

• Forward CG

• Increases tail down force which increases

effective weight (real weight + tail down force)

• All parameters of aircraft performance will

decrease except maximum power off glide
distance.
 Importance Of Weight And Balance

• Forward CG

• Take off and landing distance and stall speed

will increase, cruising speed and rate of climb
will decrease.

• Control pressures for pitch changes will be

greater.

• Pitch trim nose up

• Most dangerous part of flight with forward CG

is landing (ground effect).
 Importance Of Weight And Balance

• Aft CG

• Decreases the need for tail down force so

effective weight is less.

• Control changes for pitch changes will be light.

• Pitch stability will be poor.

• Stall speed decreases.

 Importance Of Weight And Balance

• Aft CG

• All performance parameters improve, except

maximum power off glide distance.

• Most dangerous part of flight with aft CG

occurs in slow flight (stall/spin may lead to flat
spin).
 Importance Of Weight And Balance

• Who has the final responsibility for

accurate, up-to-date aircraft empty
weight and Balance?
 Importance Of Weight And Balance

• Who has the final responsibility for

accurate, up-to-date aircraft empty
weight and Balance?

Pilot
 Importance Of Weight And Balance

• Any time equipment is added or removed, or any

repair or alteration is made, this change must be
recorded in the weight and balance information.

• Weight and balance information used by the pilot

must be kept up to date.

• Done by maintenance technician.

• Referenced by the pilot for weight and balance

calculations.
 Terminology

• Arm – The horizontal distance of any object from the

datum. Expressed in inches and may be – or +.

• Center of Gravity - The point at which the nose and

tail moments are of equal magnitude (CG).

• Datum – An imaginary vertical line from which all

horizontal measurements are made or indicated.
 Terminology

• Moment – A rotational force caused by a weight

acting on an arm. The product of the weight
multiplied by the arm.

Weight X Arm = Moment

WXA=M
Determining the CG
 Determining the CG

• Moment Index

• Loading graph is used to determine the

moment index

• Advantage: No multiplication.

• Disadvantage: Shows only the loaded CG.

Figure 16-14 Loading graph

Figure 16-15
 Terminology

• Ballast – Weight used to obtain a favorable center of

gravity location. It is often made of lead. It may be
movable or permanent and must be marked as such.

TOTAL WEIGHT X DISTANCE NEEDED TO SHIFT BP

ARM OF BALLAST – ARM OF NEW BP

Figure 16-25 (Temporary Ballast)

Figure 16-26 (Shifting Weight)
 Weight And Balance Changes

• An A&P maintenance technician will have to find the

new empty weight and empty weight center of
gravity after an alteration to the aircraft has been
performed.