When the centre of gravity is moved forward, what happens to fuel consumption?

When the center of gravity is moved forward in an aircraft, it can lead to an increase in the induced drag. This phenomenon occurs because a forward center of gravity can result in changes to the lift-to-drag ratio of the aircraft.

As the aircraft's center of gravity moves forward, it may require a higher angle of attack to maintain level flight. A higher angle of attack can increase induced drag, which is a result of the lift generated by the wings. Induced drag increases with an increase in angle of attack because it is associated with the generation of lift; as lift increases to compensate for the weight distribution shift, drag increases as well.

This increase in induced drag can lead to higher fuel consumption because the engines must work harder to overcome this additional drag, impacting overall efficiency. Consequently, it is clear that when the center of gravity is moved forward, fuel consumption generally increases due to the increase in induced drag, making this answer the correct interpretation of the effects of center of gravity displacement on fuel efficiency.