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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/pilot-aft-cg-stability

As an airplane's center of gravity moves aft, what happens to longitudinal stability?

Longitudinal stability decreases.

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  1. It increases
  2. It decreases ✔
  3. It becomes unrelated to loading

Why: An aft center of gravity makes the airplane less willing to return to its original pitch attitude. Beyond the limit, stall and spin recovery may also become harder.

Huh, didn't know that: Aft loading generally produces lighter pitch-control forces.

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The aft-loaded airplane had trouble getting back to center stage.
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References

Answer: It decreases. An aft center of gravity makes the airplane less willing to return to its original pitch attitude. Beyond the limit, stall and spin recovery may also become harder.

  1. FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 10 www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/12_phak_ch10.pdf
    As the CG moves aft, a less stable condition occurs
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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