Center of Gravity (CG)

The point at which the total weight of the aircraft is considered to act, or the balance point of the airplane. The CG must remain within a specified forward and aft range (the CG envelope) for the aircraft to be controllable. A forward CG increases stability but requires more elevator force; an aft CG decreases stability and can make the aircraft unrecoverable from stalls or spins. Pilots calculate CG during weight and balance planning before every flight.