Aircraft Weight and Balance: Why It Matters What it is: • Weight: total load of aircraft, fuel, passengers, cargo. • Balance: how weight is distributed relative to the center of gravity (CG). Why it matters: • Incorrect CG makes the aircraft unstable and hard to control. • Overweight aircraft need longer takeoff and landing distance. • Poor balance can cause stalls or structural stress. • Wrong loading reduces fuel efficiency and climb performance. How pilots manage it: • Perform weight and bala