Which document contains the official limits for an aircraft's weight and balance, including maximum weight?

Which document contains the official limits for an aircraft's weight and balance, including maximum weight?

• A. Type Certificate Data Sheet
• B. Aircraft Maintenance Manual
• C. Pilot Operating Handbook
• D. Airworthiness Certificate

Answer: (A)

The official limits for weight and balance, including maximum weight, come from the Type Certificate Data Sheet. This document is issued as part of the aircraft’s certification and defines the permitted loading envelope for the aircraft family, including maximum takeoff weight (and often other weight limits) and the allowable center of gravity range. It’s the primary, legally binding source of these figures; the Pilot Operating Handbook will present and apply these limits for flight planning and operation, but it derives its numbers from the Type Certificate Data Sheet. The Aircraft Maintenance Manual concentrates on maintenance procedures rather than loading limits, and the Airworthiness Certificate is simply a certification that the aircraft is legally airworthy, not a source of weight and balance data.

The official limits for weight and balance, including maximum weight, come from the Type Certificate Data Sheet. This document is issued as part of the aircraft’s certification and defines the permitted loading envelope for the aircraft family, including maximum takeoff weight (and often other weight limits) and the allowable center of gravity range. It’s the primary, legally binding source of these figures; the Pilot Operating Handbook will present and apply these limits for flight planning and operation, but it derives its numbers from the Type Certificate Data Sheet. The Aircraft Maintenance Manual concentrates on maintenance procedures rather than loading limits, and the Airworthiness Certificate is simply a certification that the aircraft is legally airworthy, not a source of weight and balance data.