Piper Cherokee Six 300 Information Manual page 60

CHEROKEE SIX.3OO
WEIGHT AND BALANCE
In order to achieve the performance, safety and good flying characteristics which are
designed into the airplane, it must be flown with the weiglrt and center of gravity (C.G.)
position wthin the approved envelope. The aircraft offers a tremendous flexibility of loading.
However, you cannot fill the airplane, with the maximum number of adult passengers, full fuel
tanks and maximum baggage. With the flexibility comes responsibility. The pilot must ensure
that the airplane is loaded within the loading envelope before he makes a takeoff.
Misloading carries consequences for any aircraft. An overloaded airplane will not take off,
climb or cruise as well as a properly loaded one. The heavier the airplane is loaded, the less
climb perfornance it will have.
Center of gravity is a determining factor in flight characteristics. If the C.G. is too far
forward in any airplane, it may be difficult to rotate for takeoff or landing. If the C.G. is too far
aft, the airplane may rotate prematurely on takeoff or try to pitch up during climb.
Longitudinal stability will be reduced. This can lead to inadvertent stalls and even spins; and
spin recovery becomes more difficult as the center of gravity moves aft of the approved limit.
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A properly loaded aircraft, however, will perform as intended. This airplane is designed to
provide excellent performance and safety within the flight envelope. Before the airplane is
delivered, it is weighed, and a basic weight and C.G. location is computed. (Basic weight consists
of the empty weight of the aircraft plus the unusable fuel and full oil capacity.) Using the basic
weight and C.G. location, the pilot can easily determine the weight and C.G. position for the
loaded airplane by computing the total weight and moment and then determining whether they
are within the approved envelope.
The basic weight and C.G. location for a phrticular airplane are recorded in the aircraft log
book or in the weight and balance section of the Airplane Flight Manual. The current values
should always be used. Whenever new equipment is added or any modification work is done, the
mechanic responsible for the work is required to compute a new basic weight and basic C.G.
position and to write these in the aircraft log book. The owner should make sure that it is done.
A weight and balance calculation can be helpful in determining how much fuel or baggage
can be boarded so as to keep the C.G. within allowable limits. If it is necessary to remove some
of the fuel to stay within maximum allowable gross weight, the pilot should not hesitate to do
so.
The following pages are forms used in weighing an airplane in production and in computing
basic weight, basic C.G. position, and useful load. Note that the useful load includes fuel, oil,
baggage, cargo and passengers. Following this is the method for computing takeoff weight and
c.G.
REPTORT: VB-551 PAGE 5-l
MODEL: PA-32-300
ISSUED: MAY 14,1973