Weight & Balance Builder
Load the airplane visually, then use the advanced station table only when you need it. PilotDesk calculates departure and landing weight, moment, and CG from the exact weights and arms you provide.
Departure and landing
Departure
Landing
Entered envelope
The plotted points use only the boundary you enter from the approved source.
No envelope is loaded. PilotDesk will calculate CG without judging limits.
Visual cabin loader
Choose a generic top-view layout, then enter occupant/cargo weights and the approved arm for each station. The picture is only an organizing aid; it does not supply aircraft-specific arms or limits.
Visual entries synchronize with the loading station table below.
Advanced station tableCustom stations, separate landing weights, moments, and fine adjustments
Loading stations
For unchanged stations, departure and landing weight may be identical. Use separate landing weights when fuel or another load changes in flight.
What the calculator is doing
For each station, moment is weight multiplied by arm. Total center of gravity is total moment divided by total weight. PilotDesk performs that calculation independently for the departure and landing columns so a fuel burn or other in-flight weight change can be represented without rebuilding the entire table.
Show formulas
Total weight = Σ station weights
Total moment = Σ station moments
CG = total moment ÷ total weight
Quick arithmetic check
For a generic example only: an empty weight of 1,500 lb at arm 40 in contributes 60,000 lb-in; a 180 lb pilot at 37 in adds 6,660 lb-in. Together those two entries total 1,680 lb and 66,660 lb-in, for a CG of 39.7 in. The full worked loading example adds passengers, baggage, fuel burn, and a landing calculation. None of these sample arms or limits describe a real aircraft.
Before using the result
Verify basic empty weight and moment/arm against the current aircraft weight-and-balance record, use the correct station arms, account for required occupants, baggage, fuel and equipment, and compare both departure and landing conditions with every applicable approved limit. If actual weights are available, they are preferable to generic standard weights.