PPL Weight and Balance Flashcards
7 cards from real PPL practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 PPL Weight and Balance flashcards as text
An aircraft has a total weight of 2,400 pounds and a total moment of 192,000 pound-inches. What is the CG location from the datum?
Answer: 80 inches
CG = Total Moment ÷ Total Weight = 192,000 ÷ 2,400 = 80 inches from the datum.
When an aircraft is loaded to its maximum certificated gross weight compared to a lighter load, what typically occurs?
Answer: Stall speed increases and climb rate decreases
At maximum gross weight, the wings must generate more lift, which requires a higher angle of attack and therefore a higher stall speed; the increased weight also reduces climb performance.
As fuel is burned during a flight, how does CG location change?
Answer: CG shifts in a direction that depends on the fuel tank location relative to the aircraft CG
As fuel burns, the CG shifts toward or away from its current position depending on whether the fuel tanks are located ahead of or behind the current CG.
In weight and balance terminology, 'arm' refers to what measurement?
Answer: The horizontal distance from the datum to the item or station
Arm is the horizontal distance measured in inches from the datum to the item, station, or center of a compartment, and it determines the leverage of that weight about the datum.
If you load 50 pounds of baggage at a station located 120 inches aft of the datum, what moment does this item contribute?
Answer: 6,000 pound-inches
Moment = Weight × Arm = 50 lbs × 120 inches = 6,000 pound-inches.
Which loading condition is generally considered the MOST dangerous for flight safety?
Answer: CG positioned aft of the approved aft limit
An aft CG beyond the approved limit dramatically reduces longitudinal stability, may make the aircraft uncontrollable, and can lead to an unrecoverable stall or spin—making it the most dangerous condition.
Which of the following best describes the 'zero fuel weight' limitation used on some aircraft?
Answer: The maximum allowable weight of the aircraft excluding usable fuel
Zero fuel weight is the maximum allowable weight of the aircraft with all items aboard except usable fuel; it is a structural limit that prevents overstressing the wing root when the fuel load is not providing bending relief.