How is fuel imbalance detected and corrected to maintain CG within limits?

• A. The fuel system monitors tank levels; when imbalance exceeds thresholds, crew use crossfeed or transfer to balance.
• B. The crew must manually compute CG and adjust fueling.
• C. The system automatically transfers fuel without crew input.
• D. Fuel imbalance has no effect on CG.

Answer: (A)

Fuel balance is essential because an uneven distribution shifts the airplane’s center of gravity, affecting stability and controllability. The fuel system continuously monitors the amounts in each tank and the cockpit’s fuel display shows any imbalance. If the difference between tanks exceeds predefined limits, a warning or alert prompts action.

The accepted method to restore balance is to use the crossfeed system to move fuel between tanks, typically between the left and right wing tanks (and as applicable to center tanks). The crew selects crossfeed or uses the fuel transfer controls to pump fuel from the heavier side to the lighter side until the tank levels—and thus the CG within the allowed envelope—are restored. This keeps the aircraft within its structural and handling limits during all phases of flight.

Options suggesting manual CG calculations or automatic transfer without crew input aren’t how this is handled in practice, and saying fuel imbalance has no effect on CG is incorrect.