Effects of Weight Most modern aircraft are so designed that, when all seats  are occupied, the baggage compartment is full, and all fuel  tanks are full, the aircraft is grossly overloaded. This type  of design requires the pilot to give great consideration to  the requirements of each specific flight. If maximum range  is required, occupants or baggage must be left behind, or if  the maximum load must be carried, the range, dictated by  the amount of fuel on board, must be reduced. Overloading an aircraft can create a variety of problems: should pay special attention to the POH or AFM regarding  the operation of the fuel system in order to keep the aircraft  balanced in flight Weight and balance of a helicopter is far more critical  than for an airplane. Some helicopters may be properly  loaded for takeoff, but near the end of a long flight when  the fuel tanks are almost empty, the CG may have shifted  enough for the helicopter to be out of balance laterally or  longitudinally. Before making any long flight, the CG with  the fuel available for landing must be checked to ensure it is  within the allowable range. •  Theaircraftneeds ahigher takeoff speed, which results  in a longer takeoff run. •  Both the rate and angle of climb are reduced. •  The service ceiling is lowered. •  The cruising speed is reduced. •  The cruising range is shortened. •  Maneuverability is decreased. •  A longer landing roll is required because the landing  speed is higher. •  Excessive loads are imposed on the structure,  especially the landing gear. The POH or AFM includes tables or charts that give the pilot  an indication of the performance expected for any weight.  An important part of careful preflight planning includes a  check of these charts to determine if the aircraft is loaded so  the proposed flight can be safely made The maximum allowable weight for an aircraft is determined  by design considerations. However, the maximum operational  weight may be less than the maximum allowable weight due  to such considerations as high density altitude or high-drag  field conditions caused by wet grass or water on the runway.  The maximum operational weight may also be limited by the  departure or arrival airport’s runway length. One important preflight consideration is the distribution  of the load in the aircraft. Loading the aircraft so the gross  weight is less than the maximum allowable is not enough.  This weight must be distributed to keep the CG within the  limits specified in the POH or AFM Weight Changes If the CG is too far forward, a heavy passenger can be moved  to one of the rear seats or baggage may be shifted from a  forward baggage compartment to a rear compartment. If the  CG is too far aft, passenger weight or baggage can be shifted  forward. The fuel load should be balanced laterally. The pilot  If the newly calculated EWCG should happen to fall outside  the EWCG range, it is necessary to perform an adverse- loading check. This requires a forward and rearward  adverse-loading check and a maximum weight check.  These weight and balance extreme conditions represent the  maximum forward and rearward CG position for the aircraft.  An adverse-loading check is a deliberate attempt to load an  aircraft in a manner that creates the most critical balance  condition and still remains within the design CG limits of the  aircraft. If any of the checks fall outside the loaded CG range,  Repairs and alterations are the major sources of weight  changes. It is the responsibility of the FAA-certificate mechanic or repairman making any repair or alteration to  know the weight and location of a change, to compute the  CG, record the new empty weight and EWCG in the aircraft  weight and balance record, and update the equipment lists. Changes of fixed equipment may have a major effect upon  the weight of the aircraft. Many aircraft are overloaded by  the installation of extra radios or instruments. Fortunately,  the replacement of older, heavy electronic equipment with  newer, lighter types results in a weight reduction. This  weight change, however helpful, can cause the CG to shift,  which must be computed and annotated in the weight and  balance record. As an aircraft ages, its weight usually increases due to debris  and dirt collecting in hard-to-reach locations and moisture  absorbed in the cabin insulation. This increase in weight is  normally small, but it can be determined only by accurately  weighing the aircraft. Airplanes with tandem seating normally have a limitation  requiring solo flight to be made from the front seat in some  airplanes or the rear seat in others. Some of the smaller  helicopters also require solo flight be made from a specific seat, either the right, left, or center. These seating limitations  are noted by a placard, usually on the instrument panel, and  they should be strictly followed. 1-3