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Weight & balance · Cessna

Cessna 172P weight and balance calculator

Enter the empty weight and CG from your aircraft's weight-and-balance record, then the people, baggage and fuel. The calculator works out the moment for each station, the takeoff, landing and zero-fuel CG, and plots them on the Cessna 172P CG envelope.

StationWeightArm (in)Moment
Basic empty weight56,840
Pilot and front passenger37.012,580
Rear passengers73.00
Baggage area 1max 120 lb95.01,900
Baggage area 2max 50 lb123.00
Fuel (usable)= 240 lb (6 lb/gal)48.011,520
Takeoff2,050 lb40.4182,840
Landingburn 1,978 lb40.1379,384
Zero fuel1,810 lb39.4071,320

CG = total moment ÷ total weight = 82,840 ÷ 2,050 = 40.41 in.

Cessna 172P CG envelope with takeoff, landing and zero-fuel points3436384042444648501,4001,5001,6001,7001,8001,9002,0002,1002,2002,3002,4002,500CG (inches aft of datum)lbNormal · max 2,400 lbUtility · max 2,100 lbTakeoffLandingZFW
Takeoff and landing are inside the normal envelope. Forward limit at this weight 36.00 in, aft limit 47.30 in; 350 lb below maximum weight.

Cessna 172P loading stations

Typical POH values. Front seats at 37 in, rear seats 73, baggage 1 at 95 (120 lb), baggage 2 at 123 (50 lb), fuel at 48 (40 gal usable; 50 with long-range tanks). Maximum weight 2,400 lb normal, 2,100 lb utility.

StationArm (in aft of datum)Limit
Basic empty weightfrom your W&B record—
Pilot and front passenger37.0—
Rear passengers73.0—
Baggage area 195.0120 lb
Baggage area 2123.050 lb
Fuel (usable)48.040 gal usable

Cessna 172P CG envelope

Normal category — maximum 2,400 lb

  • Forward limit: 35.0 in from 1,500 to 1,950 lb, then a straight line to 39.5 in at 2,400 lb.
  • Aft limit: 47.3 in at all weights.

Utility category — maximum 2,100 lb

  • Forward limit: 35.0 in from 1,500 to 1,950 lb, then a straight line to 37.5 in at 2,100 lb.
  • Aft limit: 40.5 in at all weights.

Worked example

With the sample numbers above — pilot and front passenger 340 lb, baggage area 1 20 lb, fuel (usable) 240 lb and an empty weight of 1,450 lb at 39.2 in:

  1. Moments: 1,450 × 39.2 = 56,840; 340 × 37.0 = 12,580; 20 × 95.0 = 1,900; 240 × 48.0 = 11,520 (lb-in).
  2. Totals: 2,050 lb and 82,840 lb-in, so the takeoff CG is 82,840 ÷ 2,050 = 40.41 in.
  3. At 2,050 lb the envelope allows 36.00–47.30 in, so the takeoff point is inside the limits.
  4. After burning 12 gal (72 lb at 48.0 in) the landing weight is 1,978 lb with the CG at 40.13 in — still inside. Burning fuel moves this airplane's CG forward, because the fuel sits behind the CG.
Cessna 172P worked example on the CG envelope3436384042444648501,4001,5001,6001,7001,8001,9002,0002,1002,2002,3002,4002,500CG (inches aft of datum)lbNormal · max 2,400 lbUtility · max 2,100 lbTakeoffLandingZFW

The empty weight and empty CG differ from one C172P to the next — always use the current weight-and-balance record for the tail number you are flying. Fuel is 6 lb per US gallon (avgas).

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