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Weight and Balance Handbook (PDF) – This FAA published handbook contains a lot more detail about weight and balance than the PHAK. It also contains many calculation examples. As pilot in command, you will be responsible for ensuring that your aircraft complies with any weight and balance limitations. That means you need to be comfortable making the necessary calculations.
What Went Wrong? Perilous Departure – This article from AOPA Pilot Magazine underscores the importance of proper weight and balance calculations before flight. Also note the lack of proper Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADM) in the preflight actions of the CFI. There were lots of external pressures present that caused the pilot in command (CFI) to skip doing the important calculations that could have saved 6 lives.