In the baseline data, what would be the weight and moment if no fuel is carried?

• A. Weight 1,900 lb; Moment 140,000 in-lb.
• B. Weight 1,960 lb; Moment 147,600 in-lb.
• C. Weight 2,100 lb; Moment 150,000 in-lb.
• D. Weight 2,050 lb; Moment 145,000 in-lb.

Answer: (B)

Understanding how weight and moment change when fuel is not carried helps you pick the no-fuel values correctly. When you remove fuel, you subtract the fuel’s weight from the total aircraft weight and subtract the fuel’s moment (weight times its arm) from the total moment. The no-fuel figures are then the aircraft’s empty weight plus any non-fuel payload, and the moment corresponds to that weight at the no-fuel CG location.

In this problem, the no-fuel condition yields a weight of 1,960 lb and a moment of 147,600 in-lb. The implied CG at no fuel is 147,600 / 1,960 ≈ 75.3 inches from the datum, which is consistent with having subtracted the fuel’s contribution from both weight and moment. This is why those values are the correct no-fuel baseline. If fuel were present, both weight and moment would be higher by the fuel’s weight and its weight times its arm.