Weight & Balance

Definition of terms

Balance- a condition of equilibrium, or rest.

Importance of Balance

• Its not just a matter of how much you put into the plane, but where you put.

• Check the balance condition of the airplane by locating its centre of gravity

• Improper balance can result in serious control problems

• These problems can be avoided by taking time to determine the location of CG

Center of Gravivity (C.G.)- imaginary point at which all of the weight is considered to be concentrated.

Reference Datum- this is an imaginary vertical plane from which all horizontal distances are measured
for balance purposes.

CG Limits – are the forward and aft points beyond which CG must not be located during flight.

CG Range – the distance in inches between the forward allowable center of gravity and the rearward
allowable center of gravity.

• The CG envelope are established by the manufacturer .Many aircrafts will have different CG
limits depending on the category in which the airplane is operated

• If within limits then its safe to fly if not then rearrangement have to made with fuel, passengers
or cargo in order to move the Cg within accepatble limits

Arm- horizontal distance of an item from the reference datum.

• ( + ) if aft from the reference datum

• ( - ) if forward from the reference datum

Moment- is the product of the item’s or object’s weight multiplied by its arm.

Basic Formulas

• WT. x ARM = MOMENT

• CG = TOTAL MOMENT
TOTAL WEIGHT
Sample Problem

• Datum is at the far left of the seesaw

• Seesaw= 16 ft. long, 30 lbs ,center is 8 feet away from datum

• Child 1 = 40 lbs,  1 foot away from datum

• Child 2 = 60 lb, 15 feet away from datum

Finding the C.G.

1. Multiply each object's distance from the datum by its weight to find its moment. 

2. Add up the three moments.

3. Add the weights of all the objects.

4. Divide the total moment by the total weight.

Solution:
AIRCRAFT LOADING

Weight Changes:

• The operating weight of an aircraft can be changed by simply altering the fuel load. Gasoline has
considerable weight—6 pounds per gallon. Thirty gallons of fuel may weigh more than one
passenger

• The resulting decrease in the range of the airplane must be taken into consideration during
flight planning

• During flight, fuel burn is normally the only weight change that takes place. As fuel is used, an
aircraft becomes lighter and performance is improved.

• Changes of fixed equipment have a major effect upon the weight of an aircraft. The installation
of extra radios or instruments, as well as repairs or modifications may also affect the weight of
an aircraft

Effects of Overloading:

• Higher takeoff speed.

• Longer takeoff run.

• Reduced rate and angle of climb.

• Lower maximum altitude.

• Shorter range.

• Reduced cruising speed.

• Reduced maneuverability.

• Higher stalling speed.

• Higher landing speed.

• Longer landing roll.

Effects of Nose Heavy:

• CG in the most forward position

• Unstable

• Increased take-off run because of the higher speed needed to lift the nose

• Lessens climb rate

• Increased stalling tendency

• Increased tendency to hit the nose on the ground

• CG in the most rearward position

• Excessive aircraft reaction to small elevator movements

• Unstable in pitch

• When slowing down, aircraft will go even slower

• Increased tendency to stall

• Difficult to recover from a stall and spin

• Tendency to climb

• Increased take-off run and speed

*Note

Terms and Definitions

• Basic Empty Weight – weight of the a/c including unusable fuel ( small amount of fuel in the
tank ), optional equipment ( equipments approved for installations but not required to be
installed. Ex. Several types of communication and navigation equipment and different types of
instrument ), and full operating fluids including full engine oil.

• Licensed Empty Weight – which is similar to basic empty weight except that it does not include
full engine oil.

• Delta—a Greek letter expressed by the symbol  to indicate a change of values. As an example,
CG indicates a change (or movement) of the CG.

• Floor load limit—the maximum weight the floor can sustain per square inch/foot as provided
by the manufacturer.
 • Ramp Weight – term used to describe the airplane loaded for flight prior to engine start.

• Take-Off Weight – weight of the a/c at the start of take-off roll subtracted by the fuel burned
during engine start, run-up and taxi.

• Landing Weight – is the take-off weight subtracted by the fuel burned enroute.

• Useful Load – difference between the maximum gross weight and empty weight. The useful load
includes the weight of the flight crew, usable fuel as well as passengers, baggage and cargo.

• Payload – term used for the weight of the passengers, baggage and cargo.

• Usable fuel – fuel available during flight.

• Gross Weight – loaded weight of the a/c includes all the load it is carrying.

• Fuel Load – includes the total amount of fuel in the a/c including the usable fuel.

• Basic Operating Weight – weight of the crew, fuel, oil, med/survival kit, crew bag and a/c
equipments

Mean aerodynamic chord (MAC) - It is the average distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge of
the wing

• Designers of straight winged aircraft find it easier to express the CG as a distance relative to the
datum. This is because the straight winged aircraft have a area.

• Incase of delta or swept back wing the CG is related as the Mean aerodynamic chord of a wing
since they do not possess a uniform area and the CG is expressed as a percentage of its position
along the MAC

• Most aircrafts have acceptable handling is the CG is a quarter way back along the MAC.

Standard Weights

• FUEL > 1 US Gal ( Avgas ) = 6 lbs

> 1 US Gal ( Jet A-1 ) = 6.7 lbs

• OIL > 1 US Gal = 7.5 lbs

> Qts. (quarts) x 7.5 / 4 = lbs

• WATER > 1 US Gal = 8.35 lbs

• KG > LBS = 2.2 lbs

• M- Max gross weight

• E- Empty Weight

• U- Useful load

• B-Basic Operating Weight

• A- Available Payload

• A- Actual Payload

• R- Remaining Payload

*If remaining payload is negative aircraft if overweight

• RAMP WEIGHT= Empty Weight + B.O.W. + Actual Payload

• TAKE-OFF WEIGHT= Empty Weight + B.O.W. + Actual Payload – Wt. of taxi/ run-up fuel (Ramp
weight – Wt. of run-up/taxi fuel)

• LANDING WEIGHT=

Take-off Weight – Fuel burned in flight

WEIGHT SHIFTING

Effects of Weight Shifting

• When weight is moved forward, the total moments decrease; when weight is moved aft, total
moments increase

• The moment change is proportional to the amount of weight moved

• Since many aircraft have forward and aft baggage compartments, weight may be shifted from
one to the other to change the CG

Three conventions need to be considered:

1. Any weight added causes a + moment change (Weight removed is -).

2. Weight shifted rearward causes a + moment change (Forward is -)

3. A weight shift only changes the moment (Change in weight=0)

 Computations With a Negative Arm

 This is a sample of weight and balance computation using an airplane with a negative arm. It is
important to remember that a positive times a negative equals a negative, and a negative would
be subtracted from the total moments.

Computations With Zero Fuel Weight

 Weight and balance computation using an aircraft with a zero fuel weight. In this example, the
total weight of the aircraft less fuel is 4,240 pounds, which is under the zero fuel weight of 4,400
pounds. If the total weight of the aircraft without fuel had exceeded 4,400 pounds, passengers
or cargo would have needed to be reduced to bring the weight at or below the max zero fuel
weight.
 Weight Shifting
 When weight is shifted from one location to another, the total weight of the aircraft is
unchanged. The total moments, however, do change in relation and proportion to the direction
and distance the weight is moved. When weight is moved forward, the total moments decrease;
when weight is moved aft, total moments increase. The moment change is proportional to the
amount of weight moved. Since many aircraft have forward and aft baggage compartments,
weight may be shifted from one to the other to change the CG. If starting with a known aircraft
weight, CG, and total moments, calculate the new CG (after the weight shift) by dividing the new
total moments by the total aircraft weight.

 To determine the new total moments, find out how many moments are gained or lost
when the weight is shifted. Assume that 100 pounds has been shifted from station 30 to
station 150. This movement increases the total moments of the aircraft by 12,000 in-lb.
 Moment when at station 150 = 100 lb x 150 in = 15,000 in-lb

 Moment when at station 30 = 100 lb x 30 in = 3,000 in-lb

 Moment change = [15,000 - 3,000] = 12,000 in-lb

 By adding the moment change to the original moment (or subtracting if the weight has
been moved forward instead of aft), the new total moments are obtained. Then
determine the new CG by dividing the new moments by the total weight:

 Total moments =

 616,000 in-lb + 12,000 in-lb = 628,000 in-lb

 CG = 628,000 in-lb/8,000 lb = 78.5 in

 The shift has caused the CG to shift to station 78.5.

 In many instances, the weight and balance of the aircraft will be changed by the addition or
removal of weight. When this happens, a new CG must be calculated and checked against the
limitations to see if the location is acceptable. This type of weight and balance problem is
commonly encountered when the aircraft burns fuel in flight, thereby reducing the weight
located at the fuel tanks. Most small aircraft are designed with the fuel tanks positioned close to
the CG; therefore, the consumption of fuel does not affect the CG to any great extent.

 The addition or removal of cargo presents a CG change problem that must be calculated before
flight. The problem may always be solved by calculations involving total moments. A typical
problem may involve the calculation of a new CG for an aircraft which, when loaded and ready
for flight, receives some additional cargo or passengers just before departure time.
Formulas