What must a pilot do before a flight if an aircraft has less than a full fuel load?

Before a flight, it is essential for a pilot to calculate weight and balance, taking into account the current fuel load on board the aircraft. This calculation is crucial because it ensures that the aircraft is within the prescribed weight limits for safe flight operations. Each aircraft has specific limitations regarding its maximum takeoff weight, center of gravity, and overall handling characteristics.

The weight and balance calculation helps determine how the load, including passengers, baggage, and fuel, affects the aircraft's performance and stability in flight. If the fuel load is less than full, the pilot must assess how this impacts the overall weight and the location of the center of gravity, ensuring that both fall within safe operating limits.

This step is vital for flight safety as it influences critical factors such as takeoff performance, climb rate, and fuel consumption. By neglecting this calculation, a pilot could put the aircraft in a potentially dangerous position, leading to stability issues or exceeding performance limits during various phases of the flight. Therefore, calculating weight and balance is a fundamental pre-flight task that must be thoroughly executed whenever there is a variation in fuel load.