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Old 31st October 2011 | 23:54
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cwatters
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,389
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From: England
Just try throwing a dart or arrow backwards (eg flights/MAC ahead of the CoG) see how it's flight path diverges until it stops and falls the right way around!

Longitudinal static stability - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Neutral point

A mathematical analysis of the longitudinal static stability of a complete aircraft (including horizontal stabilizer) yields the position of center of gravity at which stability is neutral. This position is called the neutral point. (The larger the area of the horizontal stabilizer, and the greater the moment arm of the horizontal stabilizer about the aerodynamic center, the further aft is the neutral point.)

The static center of gravity margin (c.g. margin) or static margin is the distance between the center of gravity (or mass) and the neutral point. It is usually quoted as a percentage of the Mean Aerodynamic Chord. The center of gravity must lie ahead of the neutral point for positive stability (positive static margin). If the center of gravity is behind the neutral point, the aircraft is longitudinally unstable (the static margin is negative), and active inputs to the control surfaces are required to maintain stable flight.
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