Weight and balance (mass and balance)
Flight planning
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Weight and balance checks that the aircraft's mass is within limits and its centre of gravity lies inside the permitted envelope. Both affect controllability and performance.
- German term
- Masse und Schwerpunkt
Multiply each mass (pilot, passengers, baggage, fuel) by its arm to get moments, add them, and divide by total mass to find the centre of gravity. Use the actual empty mass from the aircraft's current weighing report.
In practice
Check both take-off and landing conditions — burning fuel moves the centre of gravity during the flight.
Related terms
Official sources
Content reviewed: 2026-11
For general information only. Always use official sources, your aircraft's flight manual and current national rules for flight decisions.