Aviation Fundamentals: Weight and Balance

Does the empty weight of an aircraft include fuel and oil?

No, but unusable fuel and unstable oil are apart of empty weight

Does it matter where an object in an aircraft is placed as long as the weight restrictions are not exceeded?

Yes, it matters because the arm can change the moment and affect the CG

What unit is a moment given in?

Pound inches

What unit is an arm given in?

inches

. Is datum in the same location on all aircraft?

No

What is the primary purpose of weight and balance?

Safety, secondary purpose is efficiency in flight

What does “calculating CG extremes” mean?

Adverse loading checks

All items ________ (forward/aft) of the (forward/aft) __________ limit should be filled up when performing a forward check.

Forward of the forward limit and aft of the aft limit

What sign is given to all measurements to the right of datum? To the left?

Right of datum is positive (+), everything left is negative (-)

What TWO things determine the sign (+ or -) given to the moment?

The sign of the weight and the sign of the arm

How is empty weight determined?

By using scales and subtracting tare, oil and fuel as necessary from the weight as shown on the scales

What is useful load?

The weight of the pilot, copilot, baggage, usable fuel, drainable oil. It is the max allowable gross takeoff weight minus the empty weight.

What is zero fuel weight?

The operational weight of the aircraft which includes crew, passengers, and baggage, but excludes fuel weight

What is maximum (gross) weight?

The max authorized weight of the aircraft and its contents

When doing an aft check, all items ____________(forward/aft) of the (forward/aft) ___________limit should only be used if necessary to fly.

Forward of the aft limit

What determines whether or not an adverse loading check is required?

If the EWCG of th aircraft falls withing the EWCG limits it is not necessary to do an adverse loading check

What is “center of lift”?

Where all lift is concentrated

What is “center of gravity”?

Where all weight of the aircraft is concentrated

What do the letters in METO hp stand for?

Maximum Except Take Off

What is minimum fuel?

Meto HP/2, the amount of fuel necessary for 30 minutes of flight at rated max continuous HP

When ballasting, should we use a longer arm or a greater weight for best efficiency?

Use as little weight as possible with as long an arm as possible

What type of measurement is used to designate the arm in weight and balance computation

distance

Why is it generally necessary to jack an aircraft indoors for weighing?

so that air currents do not destabilize the scales

When, or under what condition(s) are adverse loading checks conducted?

Anytime a repair or alteration causes the EWCG to fall outside the CG range

What is meant by the term ”residual fuel”?

The fuel remains in the tanks, lines, and engine after draining.