Maintenance Training Center

Weight
and
Balance

Earl Renzo P. Caday

MTC Ground Instructor
OBJECTIVES:
 Know the effect of aircraft weight and balance in the
performance of airplanes

 To familiarize the different airplane weight and balance

terms

 Know the different methods on how to compute the airplane

weight and balance
Why compute for weight and balance?

Weight and balance is one of the most important

factors affecting safety of flight.
The weight of an airplane and the position of its
center of gravity greatly affect airplane
performance.
Efficiency of the aircraft.
Weight Control

Severe uncoordinated maneuvers or flight into

turbulence can impose dynamic loads on the
structure great enough to cause failure.
Excessive loads are imposed on the structure,
especially the landing gear.
Center of Gravity Envelope
Correct Weight and Balance Means:
 Maximum allowable weight is not exceeded.
 Center of gravity (CG) is within specified range.
WEIGHT & BALANCE
The main force created to counteract the weight and
allow the airplane to be maneuvered is lift.
 EFFECTS OF WEIGHT
ON AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE
 A higher takeoff speed and a longer takeoff run

1670
lbs
15°C 725 ft Vr = 54
KIAS

> 1870
lbs 15°C
900 ft Vr = 60
KIAS
 Poor climb performance

715 fpm
1670 lbs

>1870 300 fpm

lbs
A Lower Cruising Level

1670 lbs
14,700 ft
> 1870 lbs
10,000 ft
 Less Maneuverability

> 1670 lbs

Steeper turns
> 1870 lbs
Shallow turns
Higher fuel consumption; less range and endurance
1670 lbs
6 GPH
4 hours
90 KIAS
360
NM
>1870 lbs
7 GPH
3.5 hours
90 KIAS
315 NM
Reduced cruise speed for a given power setting

2300
1670 lbs RPM
90 KIAS

2300
>1870 lbs RPM
80 KIAS
 A Higher Stall Speed

1670 lbs > 1870 lbs

35 KIAS – FLAPS DOWN 45 KIAS – FLAPS DOWN
40 KIAS – FLAPS UP 50 KIAS – FLAPS UP
Higher landing speed; a longer landing distance/Roll

54 KIAS
475 ft
1670 lbs 15°C

70 KIAS
700 ft
> 1870 lbs
15°C
If the airplane is overweight :
 It will perform poorly

 Difficult to control

 Operating an overloaded airplane may render your

insurance invalid.

NEVER FLY AN
OVERLOADED
AIRPLANE!!!!!
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Standard Empty Weight
– is the weight of the airframe, engines and all items of operating
weight that have fixed locations and are permanently installed in the
aircraft (includes unusable fuel, full operating fluids, and full oil)

Basic Empty Weight

– includes the standard empty weight plus any optional
equipment that has been installed.
Basic Operating Weight
•The empty weight of the aircraft plus the weight of the required
crew, their baggage and other standard item such as meals and potable
water.
•Maximum Takeoff Weight
–maximum weight approved for the start of the takeoff run
–(C-172 - 2300 lbs)
–(C-152 - 1670 lbs)
•Maximum Landing Weight
–maximum weight approved for the landing touchdown
–(C-172 - 2300 lbs)
–(C-152 - 1670 lbs)
Fuel dumping (or a fuel jettison)
- is a procedure used by an aircraft in certain emergency situations before a
return to the airport shortly after takeoff, or before landing short of its intended
destination to lighten aircraft's weight.

Maximum Ramp weight

– is the total weight of a loaded aircraft and includes all fuel. It is greater than the
takeoff weight due to the fuel that will be burned during the taxi and run up
operations. It is also called Taxi Weight. Maximum Gross Weight permitted prior to
taxiing. (not specified for light airplanes)

Maximum Usable Fuel

- Maximum fuel available during flight
Gross Weight

•– is the actual total weight of the airplane and its contents at any
particular time. It is also the Empty Weight plus the pilot(s), payload
(passengers and cargo), added ballast and fuel load.
•Payload
- Weight of occupants, cargo, and baggage.
•Ballast
– Weight added to shift the center of gravity
Temporary ballast, in the form of lead bars, heavy canvas bags of sand, or lead shot, is often carried in
the baggage compartments to adjust the balance for certain flight conditions.
If a repair or alteration causes the aircraft CG to fall outside of its limit, permanent ballast can be
installed. Usually, permanent ballast is made of blocks of lead painted red and marked “Permanent Ballast–Do Not
Remove.”
Maximum Useful Load
– is the difference between Maximum Takeoff Weight and Basic
Empty Weight. It consists of pilot, payload, and fuel.

Floor load limit

- is the maximum weight the floor can sustain per square
inch/foot
-as provided by the manufacturer.
 Tare
refers to the weight of chocks, blocks, stands, etc. which is used in weighing the
aircraft which is included in the scale reading.
However, this must be subtracted from the weight obtained when
performing computations.

Moment Index (or Index)

– a moment divided by a constant such as 100, 1000, or 10,000. The index
simplifies weight and balance computations for airplane when heavy items and long
arms result in large, unmanageable numbers.

Ex. 38,770 lb-in 38.77 lb-in/1000

Weight of Fuel

One gallon of AVGAS weighs 6 lbs (1 gal = 6 lbs)

Usable Fuel Unusable Fuel
C-152 : 24.5 gallons 1.5 gallons
C-172 : 38 gallons 4 gallons
Weighing Aircraft
On what instances should the aircraft be re-weigh?
• Renewal of Weight and Balance Certificate

• Lost/Destroyed Weight and Balance Certificate

• An aircraft undergone EXTENSIVE REPAIR, MAJOR

ALTERATION, or has A NEW EQUIPMENT INSTALLED
such as Radio or a Global Positioning System (GPS)
Weighing Aircraft
All Philippine registered aircraft shall be re-weighed at the following
periods:
THREE (3) Years
• (1) When used for commercial or aerial work operations
• (2) When used for commercial operations and with CAAP
approved weight control program

FIVE (5) Years

• (1) When used in general aviation every five (5) years, or
• (2) For any aircraft at such times as the Director General may
direct
Weighing Aircraft
Weighing Aircraft
Weighing Aircraft
Weighing Aircraft
Weighing Aircraft
5 Methods in Computing Weight & Balance

1. Computation
2. Graphical
3. Table Method / Tabular Presentation
4. CG in % of MAC
5. CG Location Aft of Datum
BALANCE
The Moment of a Force
A moment is a force that tries to cause rotation and is the product of the arm, in inches, and the
weight, in pounds.
ARM - The arm is the horizontal distance from the datum to any point within the aircraft. The arm’s
distance is always measured in inches, and it is preceded by the algebraic sign for positive (+) or
negative (−). The positive sign indicates an item is located aft of the datum, and the negative sign
indicates an item is located forward of the datum.
WEIGHT - The size (magnitude) of the downward force.
BALANCE
When the weight on one side of the fulcrum multiplied by its arm is equal to the weight on the
opposite side multiplied by its arm. This is the condition in which the positive moments (those
that try to rotate the lever clockwise) are EQUAL to the negative moments (those that try to
rotate it counterclockwise). The lever is balanced when the sum of the moments about the
fulcrum is zero.
 - 57 in 78 in

130 LBS 230 LBS

NOTE : The beam is balance if the moment of on the left side is equal to the
moment on the right side.
 -138 in 78 in

130 LBS 230 LBS

--
 X 79 in

- 35 in 57 in

78 LBS 148 LBS 190 vLBS 156 LBS

 Y 29 in

- 26 in

35 LBS 169LBS X
-
Center of Gravity
- Point at which the entire weight of the aircraft is assumed to be
concentrated and would balance if suspended. It is the condition where
the counterclockwise turning moments are balanced by the clockwise
turning moments.
- There would be no tendency to rotate in a nose-up or nose-down attitude.
Datum (reference datum)
— is an imaginary vertical plane or line from which all measurements of arm are taken. The
datum is established by the manufacturer. Once the datum has been selected, all moment arms
and the location of C.G. range are measured from this point.
 - 138 in 78 in

B 130 LBS 230 LBS A

ITEM WEIGHT (LBS) ARM (INCHES) MOMENT (IN-LBS)

Weight A 230 lbs 78 17,940
Weight B 130 lbs - 138 - 17,940
360 0

The lever is balanced when the sum of the moments about the fulcrum is zero.
 100 in
50 in
30 in

A= 50 LBS C = 100 LBS

B = 50 LBS

ITEM WEIGHT (LBS) ARM (INCHES) MOMENT (IN-LBS)

Weight A 50 lbs 30 in 1500
Weight B 50 lbs 50 in 2500
Weight C 100 lbs 100 in 10,000
200 70 14,000
 30 in
- 40 in
- 20 in

A= 50 LBS C = 100 LBS

B = 50 LBS

CG/New Arm

ITEM WEIGHT (LBS) ARM (INCHES) MOMENT (IN-LBS)

Weight A 50 lbs - 40 in - 2000
Weight B 50 lbs - 20 in - 1000
Weight C 100 lbs 30 in 3000
200 0
Stations
— is a location in the airplane that is identified by a number designating its distance in inches
from the datum. The datum is, therefore, identified as station zero. An item located at station +50
would have an arm of 50 inches.
Center of gravity limits
— are the specified forward and aft points within which the
C.G. must be located during flight. These limits are indicated on pertinent airplane specifications.

Center of gravity range

— is the distance between the forward and aft C.G.. limits indicated on pertinent airplane
specifications.
Computation Method
Computation Method
Computation Method
WEIGHT (lbs) ARM ( inches) MOMENT

BEW 1364 37.9 51,696

Usable fuel 20 gal
FI/student 300
Rear seat 140
BA(1) 30

BA (2) 60
TOTAL
Computation Method
Computation Method
Effects of Center of Gravity Position on
Airplane Handling
If C.G. is too far forward (Nose Heavy)

 aircraft will have to fly at a higher

angle of attack
 drag will increase
 lack of elevator authority, at slow
takeoff speeds, elevator might not
produce enough nose-up force to
rotate
If C.G. is too far forward (Nose Heavy)

 on landing, there may not be

enough elevator force to flare
the airplane
 both landing and takeoff runs
will be lengthened if C.G. is
too far forward
If C.G. is too far aft (Tail heavy)

 Airplane will be unstable

 Difficult to recover from a stall
 Airplane could become flat and
recovery from spin would be
difficult or impossible
Weight and/or C.G. Outside Limits
If airplane is too heavy
then you must remove some load (baggage, fuel,
passenger)

If airplane is out of balance with CG outside of specified

limits
then you must move the CG position
1.Shift Load
2.Remove Load
3.Add Ballast