How is fuel distributed in a typical narrowbody, and how does fuel imbalance affect the center of gravity?

• A. Fuel is stored in left and right wing tanks with crossfeed capability; unequal consumption can shift the CG, so fuel management is used to maintain CG within limits.
• B. Fuel is stored only in the center tank; CG is unaffected by distribution.
• C. Fuel is stored in wings with no crossfeed.
• D. Fuel is stored in the tail tank; CG shifts unpredictably.

Answer: (A)

Fuel distribution in a typical narrowbody uses left and right wing tanks with crossfeed capability. Since fuel adds weight located in the wings, burning from one wing more than the other can shift the airplane’s center of gravity sideways. To keep the center of gravity within safe limits, crew manages fuel by transferring fuel between the wings through the crossfeed system or by planning which tanks to burn. This keeps the aircraft balanced during all phases of flight.

Options that place fuel only in a center tank or in a tail tank, or that imply no crossfeed, don’t reflect how narrowbodies are actually loaded and managed, so they don’t fit the standard practice.