What is a consequence of extreme CG location on performance margins?

• A. It improves efficiency
• B. It has no effect
• C. It reduces performance margins and requires loading or fuel adjustments
• D. It only affects cabin comfort

Answer: (C)

Extreme CG location changes the balance of stability and control, shrinking the buffer between safe and unsafe performance. When the CG is far forward, the airplane becomes more statically stable, but elevator authority to rotate and climb is reduced, which raises stall speed and tightens maneuvering margins. When the CG is far aft, stability decreases and control effectiveness drops, making it harder to maintain or recover from stalls and to perform precise handling. In both cases, the safe operating envelope—the margins to stall, to structural limits, and to controllability—narrows. To bring those margins back to acceptable levels, loading or fuel adjustments are used to move weight distribution back toward the center of gravity, restoring adequate stability and control while reclaiming the necessary performance headroom.