Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Aft Center of Gravity - Demo to Crash
In this video I will go over the concept of an airplane's center of gravity. I will flight test and show the aft center of gravity demo to crash. By deliberately adding lead weight to the tail of a radio controlled airplane I will show what happens to an aircraft's flight with a center of gravity aft of the normal location.
A normal center of gravity is around 25% aft of the wing leading edge. In this flight demonstration, a center of gravity 40% of the wing leading edge has almost no effect on how the airplane handles. A center of gravity 50% of the wing leading edge, however, makes the airplane essentially uncontrollable.
Guillows Aeronca video: youtu.be/rGoKLpT2m2I
FMS PA-18 airplane video: youtu.be/3AatPHa74K4
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - Center of gravity demo overview
02:27 - Full scale aircraft center of gravity
05:35 - PA-18 center of gravity demo aircraft
07:20 - Test flights at the RC field
Aft Center of Gravity - Demo to Crash
In this video I will go over the concept of an airplane's center of gravity. I will flight test and show the aft center of gravity demo to crash. By deliberately adding lead weight to the tail of a radio controlled airplane I will show what happens to an aircraft's flight with a center of gravity aft of the normal location.
A normal center of gravity is around 25% aft of the wing leading edge. In this flight demonstration, a center of gravity 40% of the wing leading edge has almost no effect on how the airplane handles. A center of gravity 50% of the wing leading edge, however, makes the airplane essentially uncontrollable.
Guillows Aeronca video: youtu.be/rGoKLpT2m2I
FMS PA-18 airplane video: youtu.be/3AatPHa74K4
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:48 - Center of gravity demo overview
02:27 - Full scale aircraft center of gravity
05:35 - PA-18 center of gravity demo aircraft
07:20 - Test flights at the RC field
