Weight And Balance Calculator

Work out weight and balance instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Weight And Balance Calculator

Weight and balance works on moments: each item's weight multiplied by its arm from the datum. Total moment divided by total weight gives the loaded centre of gravity, which must then be checked against the envelope in the aircraft flight manual at that weight.

Formula

Centre of gravity

CG = sum of (weight x arm) / sum of weights

Worked example

With the default values below, Weight And Balance Calculator returns Loaded centre of gravity of 2.24. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Empty weight: 760 kg
Empty weight arm: 2.1 m
Load added (crew, pax, bags, fuel): 290 kg
Load arm: 2.6 m

Results

Loaded centre of gravity: 2.24 m
Total weight: 1,050.00 kg
Total moment: 2,350.00 kg·m
CG shift from empty: 0.14 m

Step by step

1Values used
2Centre of gravity
3Loaded centre of gravity= 2.24 m
4Total weight= 1,050.00 kg
5Total moment= 2,350.00 kg·m
6CG shift from empty= 0.14 m

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
Aviation results are planning estimates only. Always verify take-off, landing, fuel, weight and balance figures against the certified Aircraft Flight Manual, current performance charts and applicable aviation regulations before flight.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Aviation results are planning estimates only. Always verify take-off, landing, fuel, weight and balance figures against the certified Aircraft Flight Manual, current performance charts and applicable aviation regulations before flight.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the datum?

An arbitrary reference point defined by the manufacturer — often the firewall or a point ahead of the nose. All arms are measured from it, so signs must be consistent.

Is being inside the envelope enough?

The CG must be inside the envelope at take-off and remain inside as fuel burns off, since burning fuel moves the CG toward or away from the limit depending on tank position.