FAA-G-8082-22, ch. 4

What happens if the CG is out of limits?

Where the weight sits matters as much as how much there is. Here is what the FAA says about CG limits, the exam traps and practice questions, with the FAA source under each answer.

Part 107, explained · Last reviewed October 25, 2026 against the eCFR and faa.gov. UAV Campus is not affiliated with the FAA.

What happens when an aircraft is loaded past its center of gravity limits?

Stability and controllability suffer. The most critical violation is a CG past the rear limit: the pilot may be unable to generate enough elevator force to reduce the angle of attack, so a stall may not be recoverable. If the CG is outside limits after loading, relocate or shed weight before flight.

Sources: FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Stalls · FAA-G-8082-22 ch. 4, Small Unmanned Aircraft Loading

What the FAA handbook says

FAA-G-8082-22 ch. 4, Small Unmanned Aircraft Loading

The CG is not a fixed point marked on the aircraft; its location depends on the distribution of aircraft weight.

FAA-G-8082-22 ch. 4, Small Unmanned Aircraft Loading

If the CG is not within the allowable limits after loading or do not remain within the allowable limits for safe flight, it will be necessary to relocate or shed some weight before flight is attempted.

FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Stalls

If an aircraft is allowed to be operated outside of the CG range, the pilot may have difficulty recovering from a stall. The most critical CG violation would occur when operating with a CG that exceeds the rear limit.

FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Effect of Load Distribution

The recovery from a stall in any aircraft becomes progressively more difficult as its CG moves aft.

Sources: FAA-G-8082-22 ch. 4, Small Unmanned Aircraft Loading · FAA-G-8082-22 ch. 4, Small Unmanned Aircraft Loading · FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Stalls · FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Effect of Load Distribution

Exam traps

  • The CG is not a fixed point marked on the aircraft: it depends on the distribution of weight and shifts as variable load items are shifted or expended.
  • A rear CG makes recovery from a stall progressively more difficult.
  • Generally an aircraft becomes less controllable, especially at slow flight speeds, as the CG is moved further aft.
  • The manufacturer's weight and balance restrictions should be closely followed, and the remote PIC should determine how the CG will shift.

Try it: practice questions

Similar to the FAA test, not the actual test questions.

Practice question 1

An airplane has been loaded in such a manner that the CG is located aft of the aft CG limit. One undesirable flight characteristic a pilot might experience with this airplane would be

  1. A stalling at higher-than-normal airspeed.
  2. B a longer takeoff run.
  3. C difficulty in recovering from a stalled condition.
Show the answer
Answer: C. difficulty in recovering from a stalled condition.

(An aft CG means that the CG will be closer to the center of lift (or center of pressure), which in turns means that the aircraft will be less controllable, so more difficult to recover from a stall. See “Performance > Moving CG Location” for more information.)

FAA sources: FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Aircraft Weight and Balance / Effect of Load Distribution · FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Stalls

Practice question 2

To ensure that the unmanned aircraft center of gravity (CG) limits are not exceeded, follow the aircraft loading instructions specified in the

  1. A Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook.
  2. B Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM).
  3. C Pilot’s Operating Handbook or UAS Flight Manual.
Show the answer
Answer: C. Pilot’s Operating Handbook or UAS Flight Manual.

( There is no such thing as an Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook. All the information for the aircraft is contained in either the Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH), which is a manned aircraft term, or the UAS Flight Manual if one is provided by the manufacturer. The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) is an FAA document that explains a variety of topics in more details.)

FAA source: FAA-G-8082-22 ch. 4, Small Unmanned Aircraft Loading

Practice question 3

When loading cameras or other equipment on an sUAS, mount the items in a manner that

  1. A can be easily removed without the use of tools.
  2. B is visible to the visual observer or other crew members.
  3. C does not adversely affect the center of gravity.
Show the answer
Answer: C. does not adversely affect the center of gravity.

So when mounting cameras or other equipment, be sure it doesn’t change the CG to the point where it is out of limits. While the other two answers are rather correct, the “most correct” answer is still “does not adversely affect the center of gravity.)

FAA source: FAA-G-8082-22 ch. 4, Small Unmanned Aircraft Loading

What does a forward CG do?

With forward loading, nose-up trim is needed to hold level flight. That requires a higher angle of attack, which means more drag and a higher stalling speed.

Source: FAA-H-8083-25C ch. 5, Effect of Load Distribution

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