Anyone who’s made it through primary training knows the importance of determining an airplane’s weight and balance. From that training, we know there are real limitations on how much it can carry and where that weight—whether in fuel, cargo or passengers—can be. We also know a lighter airplane performs better than a heavy one, and that weight concentrated near the fore or aft limits can affect aircraft performance.
In the August 2015 article “Some Weight In The Back,” this magazine explored what happens to performance when an airplane’s center of gravity (CG) is at, near or beyond its aft limit. But what about the opposite end of the CG range? What are the aerodynamic issues and consequences of inappropriately loading an airplane with a CG positioned near, at or beyond the forward limit? Just as when it’s aft, a forward CG presents important aerodynamic issues, which can adversely affect rate of climb, cruise airspeed, stall speed, fuel burn rate and airplane handling characteristics.
