Performance & Weight-and-Balance: Private Pilot topic guide

Performance & Weight-and-Balance carries 17% of the Private Pilot blueprint used in this course, the third-largest of its 6 weighted areas. It spans 9 concepts. The course teaches it in 2 study units: Weight & Balance and Takeoff & Landing Performance.

What Performance & Weight-and-Balance covers

W&B Method — Moment / Weight / CG Computation — FAA-H-8083-25 (PHAK) Ch.10
CG Effects — Forward vs Aft Stability — FAA-H-8083-25 Ch.5/10
W&B Weight Shift and Ballast Correction — FAA-H-8083-1 Weight & Balance Handbook
Fuel Weight — FAA-H-8083-1 / FAA-H-8083-25
Takeoff/Landing Distance — Performance Variables — FAA-H-8083-25 Ch.11
Crosswind Component — Clock Rule Calculation — FAA-H-8083-25 Ch.11
Pressure Altitude — FAA-H-8083-25 Ch.11
Load Factor by Bank Angle — FAA-H-8083-25 Ch.5
Service Ceiling and Vx vs Vy Climb Speeds — FAA-H-8083-25 Ch.11/5

Common mistakes in Performance & Weight-and-Balance

Reading the wrong row/column on a takeoff or landing performance chart
Forgetting to convert fuel gallons to pounds (×6) before computing moment
Thinking the airplane is safe because it's under max gross — it can still be out of CG
Believing stall speed depends on weight in a turn — in a level turn load factor is independent of weight; stall speed scales with √(load factor)
Confusing Vx (angle/obstacle) with Vy (rate/time)
Assuming a tailwind or upslope shortens the roll — both lengthen it
Using indicated altitude instead of pressure altitude as the chart input

Key terms for Performance & Weight-and-Balance

CG · arm · moment · datum · load factor · Vx · Vy · useful load · pressure altitude · density altitude

How Performance & Weight-and-Balance connects to other areas

Pressure Altitude links to Density Altitude — Hot/High/Humid Concept — Weather
Takeoff/Landing Distance — Performance Variables links to Density Altitude — Hot/High/Humid Concept — Weather
Density Altitude Rule of Thumb links to Density Altitude — Hot/High/Humid Concept — Weather
Load Factor by Bank Angle links to Critical Angle of Attack — Stall at Any Speed — Aerodynamics & Systems
Service Ceiling and Vx vs Vy Climb Speeds links to Density Altitude — Hot/High/Humid Concept — Weather
Pressure Altitude links to Supplemental Oxygen Thresholds — Regulations & Airspace
CG Effects — Forward vs Aft Stability links to Critical Angle of Attack — Stall at Any Speed — Aerodynamics & Systems
Load Factor by Bank Angle links to Spin — Stall + Yaw, PARE Recovery — Aerodynamics & Systems

Official references for Performance & Weight-and-Balance

In the app this area comes with 8 memory cards and 16 module-quiz questions in the full course.