Suppose you are a pilot planning to fly your family of four in a single-engine aircraft to a destination for a week-long summer vacation. The flight is between two high-altitude airports in the US Rocky Mountains, and you are planning to make the flight during mid-afternoon in July.
In the flight planning process, the weather forecast valid for the planned day of the flight indicates a high probability of clear skies and light winds, with a morning low temperature near 50 F, and an afternoon high temperature near 90 F. You also performed a weight and balance calculation for a full load of fuel, four passengers, and the family’s luggage packed in the aft compartment of the aircraft, and determined that this would result in the aircraft being overloaded and significantly unbalanced.
Discuss at least two negative impacts to the stability and control of the aircraft that could result from the planned amount and configuration of weight, and describe at least two changes that could mitigate these impacts.
Explain why the planned time of day of the flight could also negatively impact the stability and control of the aircraft.
