FAA Aviation Mechanic General (AMG)Aircraft Drawings, Weight and BalanceHard

A technician installs a 20 lb avionics unit at fuselage station 150 (arm = 150 inches aft of datum) during a weight and balance revision. What moment does this installation add to the aircraft's total moment?

  1. A20 in-lb
  2. B7.5 in-lb
  3. C150 in-lb
  4. D3,000 in-lb
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D. 3,000 in-lb

Moment is calculated as weight multiplied by arm: 20 lb × 150 in = 3,000 in-lb. This moment value is what gets added to the aircraft's total moment when computing the new CG after the installation.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. This is just the weight value, not the moment.
  • B. This results from dividing weight by arm, which is not how moment is calculated.
  • C. This is just the arm value, not the moment (weight × arm).

Moment (Weight & Balance)

The turning effect of a weight about the datum, calculated as weight multiplied by its arm (distance from datum).

  • Moment = Weight × Arm
  • Expressed in inch-pounds (in-lb)
  • Used to find total moment for CG calculations

Memory trick: Moment = Weight times Wobble-distance (arm).

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