Cessna 172S Weight & Balance Calculator
Skyhawk-specific W&B with the real station arms and the sloped forward limit modeled — enter your tail number's empty weight and load the seats.
Station arms and envelope match the published C172S loading data; the combined A+B baggage limit is 120 lb. Only the empty weight and arm are yours to supply — and they are the two numbers that matter most.
Formula
⚠️ For planning and education only. Weight & balance must be computed from YOUR aircraft's actual empty weight, arm and current equipment list, and verified against the POH/AFM envelope before flight.
Skyhawk-specific W&B with the real station arms and the sloped forward limit modeled — enter your tail number's empty weight and load the seats.
About Cessna 172S Weight & Balance Calculator
The world's most popular trainer deserves a W&B tool that knows its body: the 37-inch front seats, the 73-inch rear bench, fuel at 48, the two baggage shelves at 95 and 123 inches with their 120/50-pound structural limits — and the forward CG limit that slopes from 35 to 41 inches as weight grows from 1,950 to 2,550 pounds. Enter your tail number's empty weight and arm, load the day, and read the verdict against the genuine envelope.
How to use Cessna 172S Weight & Balance Calculator
- 1Enter — sensible defaults are pre-filled so you see a worked result immediately.
- 2Read the live results: .
- 3Check the "With your numbers" line to see the formula arms: seats 37 / rear 73 / fuel 48 / bag A 95 / bag B 123 in; fwd limit 35→41 in (1,950→2,550 lb) substituted step by step.
- 4Adjust inputs (or flip the unit toggle) until the scenario matches yours, then copy or share the result.
Why use Cessna 172S Weight & Balance Calculator?
- ✓Instant, free and private — every calculation runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded
- ✓Built on the published formula arms: seats 37 / rear 73 / fuel 48 / bag A 95 / bag B 123 in; fwd limit 35→41 in (1,950→2,550 lb) with sources cited on the page
- ✓Station arms and envelope match the published C172S loading data; the combined A+B baggage limit is 120 lb. Only the empty weight and arm are yours to supply — and they are the two numbers that matter most.
- ✓Switch units, tweak any input and watch every result update live
Frequently asked questions
Can a C172S really get out of CG, or is it just a weight problem?+
It can, in both directions: two heavy occupants up front with minimal fuel can crowd the sloped forward limit, while a light pilot, full rear bench, aft baggage in area B and low fuel walks the CG toward 47.3. The Skyhawk's reputation for docility makes pilots skip the math — the envelope is generous, not infinite.
What are the two baggage areas and why do both have limits?+
Area A is the shelf behind the rear seats (arm 95 in, max 120 lb); area B is the upper hat-rack extension (arm 123 in, max 50 lb), with a combined cap of 120 lb. The limits are structural — the floor and attach points — independent of CG. Fifty pounds at 123 inches also moves CG aft more than most loaders expect, which is why B fills last.
Why does fuel barely move the C172's CG?+
The tanks sit at 48 inches — close to the middle of the envelope and near typical loaded CGs — so burning 30 gallons shifts CG only fractions of an inch. This is a deliberate design kindness, and it's why the Skyhawk rarely has the takeoff-legal/landing-illegal problem that aft-tank designs face.
Is max ramp weight different from max takeoff weight?+
Yes: 2,558 lb ramp vs 2,550 takeoff for the S model — the 8 lb difference is run-up and taxi fuel. Loading to 2,558 on the ramp is legal provided burn-off brings you to 2,550 by brake release. It matters mainly to operators loading to the pound; renters should treat 2,550 as the wall.
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