Definition
The side-to-side location of an aircraft's center of gravity, measured across the wingspan rather than along the length of the fuselage. While most weight and balance calculations focus on the longitudinal (nose-to-tail) center of gravity, the lateral CG addresses left-right balance, which becomes significant when fuel, passengers, or cargo are distributed unevenly between the two sides of the aircraft.
Plain English
How balanced the aircraft is from left to right, rather than from nose to tail. If one wing carries more weight than the other, the lateral CG is off-center.
Context Anchor
Seen in weight-and-balance discussions, especially when loading fuel, passengers, baggage, or equipment unevenly from left to right.
Derivation
Lateral' comes from the Latin 'latus,' meaning 'side.' It refers to anything related to the sides — in this case, the left and right sides of the aircraft. 'CG' stands for center of gravity, the single point where the aircraft's weight is considered to act.
Why Pilots Care
An out-of-limits lateral CG produces a persistent roll tendency that must be countered with aileron, increasing workload and reducing safety margins.
Grounding Statement
Picture the airplane supported at one balance point: lateral CG tells whether that point is centered left-to-right or shifted toward one wing.
Intuition Check
Lateral does not mean forward or backward here. It means left-to-right across the aircraft.
Example Sentence 1
After burning fuel from only the left tank for an hour, the pilot switched tanks to bring the lateral CG back toward center.
Example Sentence 2
An excessive lateral CG caused the aircraft to fly slightly wing-low until corrected with ballast.