To obtain useful weight data for determining the center of gravity, the aircraft must be weighed in which condition?

To obtain useful weight data for determining the center of gravity, the aircraft must be weighed in which condition?

• A. in a level flight situation
• B. with all items of useful load installed
• C. with no more than minimum fuel (1 1/2 gallon per METO horsepower) in all fuel tanks
• D. during a high-wind takeoff

Answer: (A)

Center of gravity data must reflect how the airplane will fly, so the weight must be measured in a condition that represents normal flight attitude. Weighing the aircraft with it in a level flight attitude provides a stable, standard reference where there’s no pitching moment bias from nose-up or nose-down attitudes. This makes the measured weight distribution (how much load each scale carries and where that load acts along the fuselage) truly representative of in‑flight loading, which is what CG calculations depend on. Other conditions introduce variables that skew the measurements: weighing with all useful load installed gives a specific configuration rather than a generic reference; using only minimum fuel changes the actual weight and its distribution compared to typical operations; and weighing during a high-wind takeoff would be dynamic and unreliable.

Center of gravity data must reflect how the airplane will fly, so the weight must be measured in a condition that represents normal flight attitude. Weighing the aircraft with it in a level flight attitude provides a stable, standard reference where there’s no pitching moment bias from nose-up or nose-down attitudes. This makes the measured weight distribution (how much load each scale carries and where that load acts along the fuselage) truly representative of in‑flight loading, which is what CG calculations depend on.

Other conditions introduce variables that skew the measurements: weighing with all useful load installed gives a specific configuration rather than a generic reference; using only minimum fuel changes the actual weight and its distribution compared to typical operations; and weighing during a high-wind takeoff would be dynamic and unreliable.