Center Of Gravity
What is center of gravity?
The center of gravity (CG) is the point at which an aircraft would balance if it were suspended at that spot—the average location of the aircraft's total weight. Its position depends on how weight is distributed throughout the aircraft, which changes as you load passengers, fuel, and cargo or when equipment is added, removed, or relocated. CG is often expressed as a percentage of the mean aerodynamic chord (MAC), the average width of the wing. Think of it as the aircraft's balance point—keep it within the manufacturer's forward and aft limits or the airplane becomes hard or impossible to control.
Also known as: CG, center of gravity
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