clare at snyder.on.ca wrote:

To put it another way: Engineering is the science of compromise, and an
airplane is a series of compromises flying in close formation.

Peter


You are correct - but 4-6 inches on a 20 foot plane does not make a
significant difference in the yaw and required rudder size. And 4 to 6
inches can correct for a fair amount of weight.

There is also the issue of the CG of the engine. They don't all balance
at the same point. One could be 100lbs lighter but have most of the
weight shifted to the front. Mounting in the same geometrical position
would not move the planes CG. (Just a theoretical. I don't know of a
specific case.)

--
This is by far the hardest lesson about freedom. It goes against
instinct, and morality, to just sit back and watch people make
mistakes. We want to help them, which means control them and their
decisions, but in doing so we actually hurt them (and ourselves)."