About Aircraft Ballasts
Ballast is a weight, usually of rubber, or sand, used in an aircraft or ship to attain the desired balance when the center of gravity is not within limits or is not at the location selected by the operator. It is usually located as far aft or as far forward as possible to bring the CG within limits while using a minimum amount of weight. Ballast can also be used to adjust the balance of an aircraft during flight or after landing. For example, if an airplane is overweight and has an undesirable weight distribution, the ballast can be moved and positioned to correct the problem. In most cases, a ballast is removable. In the context of aviation, ballast is used to meet certain loading conditions that may vary over time. Temporary ballast typically is easy to move around and can have a handle. This type of ballast should be…