What is the term for the balance point along the aircraft's longitudinal axis, where it would balance if suspended?

• A. Center of gravity
• B. Aerodynamic center
• C. Neutral point
• D. Center of lift

Answer: (A)

Center of gravity. This is the balance point along the airplane’s length where the total weight can be considered to act for balance. If you suspended the aircraft at the CG, it would sit in equilibrium because the moments from all weights forward of and behind that point cancel out. The CG location is set by how weight is distributed—crew, fuel, baggage, and equipment—and must stay within specified forward and aft limits to ensure stable, controllable flight. If the CG is too far forward, you may have poor pitch control with the elevator; if too far aft, the airplane can become unstable and harder to recover from disturbances. The other terms describe different aerodynamic concepts: the aerodynamic center is where pitching moments don’t change with angle of attack, the neutral point is the aft limit of stable CG for the aircraft, and the center of lift is the effective lift location that moves with conditions, not a fixed balance point.