If an airplane's center of gravity (CG) is loaded forward of the allowable range, what must the pilot do?

When an airplane's center of gravity (CG) is loaded forward of the allowable range, it can create challenges with aircraft control and performance. Specifically, a forward CG can cause the aircraft to have a nose-down attitude, which affects how the plane handles in flight.

To counteract this nose-down tendency, the pilot needs to apply more back pressure on the elevator control. This back pressure effectively raises the nose of the airplane, helping to compensate for the forward CG. It allows the pilot to maintain a level flight attitude or perform climbs while ensuring safe control of the aircraft.

Although adjusting power, adding weight to the tail, or changing flaps may seem like potential solutions, they do not directly address the specific handling issues caused by a forward CG. Reducing power may decrease speed, but it won't correct the nose-down attitude. Adding weight to the tail could complicate the balance further, and adjusting flaps primarily affects lift and drag rather than influencing CG placement directly. Thus, the most appropriate action in this scenario is to increase back pressure on the elevator to maintain proper control.