Definition
A permanent document carried in the aircraft that lists its current empty weight, empty-weight center of gravity, and useful load. It is updated each time equipment is added, removed, or altered so the pilot can calculate loaded weight and balance accurately for every flight.
Plain English
A paper kept with the aircraft that shows how much it weighs empty and where its balance point sits. It gets updated whenever something is installed or removed so the pilot always has correct numbers to work from.
Context Anchor
Pilots use this record during preflight planning, especially before carrying passengers, baggage, or unusual fuel loads. It is also updated after maintenance or equipment changes that affect the airplane’s weight.
Why Pilots Care
Operating outside published weight or center-of-gravity limits can cause loss of control, structural damage, or make the aircraft unairworthy and illegal to fly.
Intuition Check
Do not think of this as just a worksheet for one flight. It is the aircraft’s continuing record of its basic weight and balance information, and each flight’s loading calculation depends on it being current.
Example Sentence 1
After the avionics shop installed the new transponder, the mechanic updated the weight and balance record to reflect the change in empty weight.
Example Sentence 2
After the avionics upgrade the mechanic entered the new empty weight and moment into the Weight And Balance Record so future load calculations would remain accurate.