Weight & Balance Handbook
How aircraft weight and balance work — datum, arm, moment, center-of-gravity limits, and the loading computations every pilot must be able to perform.
About this document
The Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook explains the theory and practice of controlling aircraft loading. Weight and balance is a required competency on the Private, Commercial, and Instructor tests, and this book is the FAA's reference for it.
It defines the datum, arm, moment, and center of gravity; explains empty-weight and useful-load calculations; and works through the standard methods (computation, loading graphs, and tables) for verifying that an airplane is within its weight and CG limits before flight. It also covers the effects of adverse loading on stability and control, weight-and-balance for larger aircraft, and equipment-change documentation.
Master the arithmetic here so weight-and-balance test questions become straightforward rather than intimidating.
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Take a free practice test →FAA-H-8083-1 is an official FAA publication in the public domain. We host a copy so you can read it in-browser; always confirm you are reading the current edition on faa.gov. The description above is an original summary and is a study aid, not a substitute for the document or the regulations.