Well... I was glad I had when I was ramp checked by TC at the dock in Yellowknife after I pulled up in the 185. I had all of my paperwork, including a written W&B for the flight, and my cargo was tied down, and TC was happy. I have been told by another pilot, that he was ramped at that dock before departing, and actually violated for not having a W&B prepared.Not saying its right im just saying I have never seen someone break out the pen and paper or the wheel before they get in.
Yes, there are times I fly planes I know, knowing that they are not at gross, and within limits, so I'm not trying to say that I write out a W&B every time, I don't. But, if in doubt/it's a new plane to me/it's an uncertain load/ I need to make the every most of the airplane's capability, I'll do a written W&B.
For the benefit of those pilots who choose not to exert the effort to renew their skills in doing a W&B, when I'm doing an approval which involves W&B, one aspect will be a reality check - will this mod allow the plane to be easily loaded out of limits? If so, I will take additional action to reduce the risk of the airplane being loaded out of limits, which has included my declining approving the mod.
I repeat that an airplane will fly a little out of limits, but if you bugger up your flying, it might be unrecoverable - you'll be lucky if you live to explain how you misloaded the plane, 'cause the TSB will figure out that you did....
In the information age, with all kinds of software which makes it so easy, why are people making posts intimating that a W&B calculation is not needed, when there is doubt about the plane being loaded within limits?