Arne wrote:

Are you required to perform weight and balance checks before every flight?

No. If I'm flying alone in an aircraft that has a useful load of over 800
pounds, it would be pretty silly to calculate W&B.

And if so, are you required to document it? Can the FAA show up on the ramp
asking you to show the weight and balance calculation?

No. Even when I do a W&B calculation, it's on my computer at home and I don't
print them out. The FAA might ask you to perform one during a ramp check, but
you know how to do that, right?

George Patterson
I prefer Heaven for climate but Hell for company.