Weight and Balance Chapter 6 Introduction It is vital to comply with weight and balance limits  established for helicopters. Operating above the maximum  weight limitation compromises the structural integrity of  the helicopter and adversely affects performance. Balance  is also critical because, on some fully loaded helicopters,  center of gravity (CG) deviations as small as three inches can  dramatically change a helicopter’s handling characteristics.  Operating a helicopter that is not within the weight and  balance limitations is unsafe. Refer to FAA-H-8083-1 (as  revised), Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook, for more  detailed information.