Loading and performance — Part 107 practice questions

15 practice questions on loading and performance from the FAA remote pilot knowledge test, each with the correct answer and why it is correct.

1. 01

   Which of the following conditions might require a reduction in aircraft weight before takeoff?

   • Low elevation and cool temperatures
   • Short runway and calm winds
   • High elevation and high air temperaturesCorrect
   • Smooth runway surface and no obstacles
   Why

   High elevation with high temperature — the density altitude combination. Thin air means less thrust from the same propeller, so an aircraft that lifts its full payload at sea level on a cool morning may not manage it on a hot day in the mountains.

2. 02

   How does fuel burn typically affect aircraft performance during flight?

   • It decreases performance as the aircraft gets heavier
   • It improves performance as the aircraft becomes lighterCorrect
   • It has no effect on performance
   • It always negatively affects the aircraft's balance
   Why

   Performance improves as the aircraft lightens. It is worth noting where the analogy breaks for small unmanned aircraft: a battery does not lose mass as it discharges, so an electric aircraft flies its whole mission at takeoff weight while its available power falls — the opposite trend.

3. 03

   What is the center of gravity (CG) in relation to an aircraft?

   • The point where the aircraft touches the ground
   • The midpoint of the aircraft's wingspan
   • A point where all the weight of the aircraft is considered to be concentratedCorrect
   • The location of the aircraft's fuel tanks
   Why

   The point at which the aircraft's whole weight can be treated as acting. It is the balance point the aircraft rotates about, which is why moving a battery or a camera a few centimetres changes handling — the mass has not changed, but where it acts has.

4. 04

   What is a load factor in aerodynamics?

   • The total weight of the aircraft
   • The ratio of an aircraft's speed to its weight
   • The force exerted on an aircraft during acceleration, measured in GsCorrect
   • The maximum altitude an aircraft can reach
   Why

   The force acting on the structure during acceleration, expressed in Gs as a ratio to the aircraft's weight. A load factor of 3 means the structure is carrying three times the aircraft's weight — the number describes the demand on the airframe, not the mass of it.

5. 05

   What happens to the load factor in a turn as the bank angle increases beyond 45-50 degrees?

   • It decreases slightly
   • It remains constant
   • It increases at a terrific rateCorrect
   • It becomes negative
   Why

   It climbs at a terrific rate. The relationship is trigonometric rather than linear, so the load is modest through the first 45 degrees and then rises very steeply. That is why the second half of a steep turn costs so much more than the first.

6. 06

   How does the load factor affect an aircraft's stalling speed?

   • Stalling speed decreases as load factor increases
   • Stalling speed increases in proportion to the square root of the load factorCorrect
   • Load factor has no effect on stalling speed
   • Stalling speed increases linearly with load factor
   Why

   Stalling speed rises with the square root of the load factor — so a load factor of 4 doubles it. That is the mechanism behind the accelerated stall: an aircraft comfortably above its stalling speed in level flight can stall in a hard turn without slowing down at all.

7. 07

   What is the only force that counteracts an aircraft's weight during flight?

   • Thrust
   • Drag
   • LiftCorrect
   • Gravity
   Why

   Lift. Thrust opposes drag along the flight path; lift alone opposes weight. Keeping the two pairs distinct is what makes the rest of the aerodynamics legible — adding power to an overloaded aircraft helps only insofar as it lets the aircraft generate more lift.

8. 08

   What is a potential consequence of an overloaded aircraft during takeoff?

   • Improved acceleration
   • Shorter takeoff distance
   • Inability to leave the groundCorrect
   • Enhanced climb performance
   Why

   It may not leave the ground at all — and the more dangerous version is that it leaves the ground but cannot climb away, which is the same failure discovered later and with less room to fix it. Every other listed effect points the other way; overloading improves nothing.

9. 09

   Why is it important for a remote PIC to verify the aircraft's weight and balance before flight?

   • To increase the aircraft's speed
   • To comply with FAA regulations on fuel efficiency
   • To ensure flight safety and comply with manufacturer's limitsCorrect
   • To reduce the cost of the flight
   Why

   Because both safety and the manufacturer's limits depend on it. An aircraft loaded outside its envelope handles differently — often subtly, until it is asked for a manoeuvre it can no longer deliver. Part 107 imposes no weight-and-balance paperwork; the requirement comes from physics and the manufacturer.

10. 10

    What should a remote PIC do if the center of gravity (CG) is not within allowable limits after loading?

    • Proceed with the flight as planned
    • Increase the aircraft's speed to compensate
    • Relocate or shed some weight before flightCorrect
    • Ignore the CG limits as they only apply to larger aircraft
    Why

    Move the load or take some off before flying. CG limits are not a large-aircraft concern — a small multirotor with a gimbal mounted too far forward is trimmed nose-down for the whole flight, which costs endurance and control authority in exactly the conditions where both matter.

11. 11

    What happens to an aircraft's vertical speed when lift becomes less than weight?

    • It increases
    • It decreasesCorrect
    • It remains constant
    • It fluctuates randomly
    Why

    Vertical speed decreases — the aircraft descends, or climbs less quickly. Lift and weight are the vertical pair, and whichever is larger sets the direction. The practical case for a small unmanned aircraft is a battery sagging under load: thrust falls, lift with it, and the aircraft begins to settle.

12. 12

    What is stability in an aircraft?

    • The ability to fly at high speeds
    • The inherent quality to correct disturbances and return to the original flight pathCorrect
    • The capacity to carry heavy loads
    • The efficiency of fuel consumption
    Why

    The built-in tendency to return to its original flight path after a disturbance, without the pilot doing anything. It is a property of the design rather than a skill of the operator, and it is what determines how much a gust costs you — a stable aircraft recovers itself while an unstable one waits for input.

13. 13

    Why is knowledge of load factors essential for pilots?

    • To calculate fuel efficiency
    • To determine the aircraft's maximum speed
    • To avoid dangerous overloads and understand stall risksCorrect
    • To plan flight routes more effectively
    Why

    Two reasons that arrive together: the structure can be overloaded, and the stalling speed rises with load. Both bite in the same manoeuvre — an aggressive turn adds load, and the extra load raises the speed at which the wing quits, closing the margin from both ends at once.

14. 14

    What are the potential consequences of operating an aircraft above its maximum weight limitation?

    • Improved fuel efficiency
    • Enhanced maneuverability
    • Compromised structural integrity and adverse effects on performanceCorrect
    • Increased maximum altitude capability
    Why

    Compromised structure and degraded performance in nearly every respect — higher takeoff speed, longer takeoff run, reduced climb, shorter range, lower cruising speed and reduced manoeuvrability. Nothing about overloading improves anything; the trade is entirely one-way.

15. 15

    Which of the following is NOT listed as a performance deficiency of an overloaded aircraft?

    • Higher takeoff speed
    • Shorter range
    • Reduced cruising speed
    • Improved fuel efficiencyCorrect
    Why

    Fuel efficiency does not improve — an overloaded aircraft consumes more, not less. The genuine deficiencies all point the same way: higher takeoff speed, longer takeoff run, reduced climb rate, shorter range, and reduced cruising speed and manoeuvrability.