During weight and balance procedures, which action is highlighted as affecting CG results?

During weight and balance procedures, which action is highlighted as affecting CG results?

• A. Parking brakes set
• B. Parking brakes not set
• C. Leaving the downlocks installed
• D. Fuel quantity misread

Answer: (C)

Center of gravity calculations depend on the total weight and where that weight sits in the aircraft. Any item that is present during the weighing but would not be part of the normal flight configuration can shift the CG because it changes the weight distribution. Leaving the downlocks installed adds extra hardware weight in the gear area, altering both the total weight and the moment arm. That changes the calculated CG from what it would be in actual flight, so the CG results become inaccurate. Parking brakes, whether set or not, don’t change the aircraft’s weight or its distribution. A fuel quantity misread would affect the numbers used in the calculation, but the specific action that directly alters where the weight sits during the weighing (and thus the CG) is leaving the downlocks in place.

Center of gravity calculations depend on the total weight and where that weight sits in the aircraft. Any item that is present during the weighing but would not be part of the normal flight configuration can shift the CG because it changes the weight distribution. Leaving the downlocks installed adds extra hardware weight in the gear area, altering both the total weight and the moment arm. That changes the calculated CG from what it would be in actual flight, so the CG results become inaccurate. Parking brakes, whether set or not, don’t change the aircraft’s weight or its distribution. A fuel quantity misread would affect the numbers used in the calculation, but the specific action that directly alters where the weight sits during the weighing (and thus the CG) is leaving the downlocks in place.