When an aircraft is loaded with an aft CG, how should it be trimmed?

When an aircraft is loaded with an aft center of gravity (CG), it affects the aircraft's stability and control. An aft CG can make the aircraft more sensitive to pitch inputs and may lead to an increased risk of stalling because it reduces the static longitudinal stability. To counteract this, proper elevator trim is necessary.

Trimming the elevator to develop less downforce essentially means positioning the elevator so that it creates an upward force, which helps to counterbalance the tendency of the aircraft to pitch down due to the aft CG. By reducing the downforce, the elevator's neutral position shifts to require less effort from the pilot to maintain level flight. This trim adjustment ensures that the aircraft can fly more comfortably and reduces the workload on the pilot, as it requires less forward control stick input to maintain level flight.

In summary, when dealing with an aft CG configuration, the elevator must be trimmed to produce less downforce, allowing for better control and stability during flight.