3 ms·
If you take flying lessons weight and balance is a big part of the training. The moment arm ("virtual" fulcrum) is an imaginary point where the balance of the
by dghughes 10y ago
If you take flying lessons weight and balance is a big part of the training.
The moment arm ("virtual" fulcrum) is an imaginary point where the balance of the plane is and it moves depending on the shape of the aircraft and where the weight is located.
Imagine a long lever with the fulcrum in the middle now imagine that lever is flying in three dimensions. Any weight near or far from the fulcrum makes it difficult to control the lever (aircraft) if the weight is moving or in the wrong spot.
My flying lessons were 25 years ago and I didn't continue but that's the gist of it.
- FabHK 10y agoAs others have pointed out, this case was almost surely well within the normal range (imagine people going to the toilets), but yes.
- dghughes 10y agoMaybe I'm paranoid thinking back to my flying my instructor was strict about weight and balance not that I carried anything as a student. But always being aware of it is a big part of flying or at least when learning to fly. My instructor even made me secure my pen when I was flying nothing loose in the cabin.
- FabHK 10y agoFor a small plane, the limits are smaller, naturally. But half a ton here and there is something an airliner can deal with. For the pen, there might be other reasons - a dropped pen might slide under the rudder pedal and block it, or interfere with other things in the cabin.