Mxsmanic wrote:
What is your method for handling weight and balance when you are piloting a
small aircraft alone? Do you just trim to adjust for the lateral imbalance,
or do you put something on the other side of the plane (ballast, luggage,
etc.) to balance it out, or what?

While I'm sure you are going to argue some point of this response I'll
post for those that come later.

It completely depends on the plane. In a 172 it really isn't an issue.
Fuel burns out of each wing tank at about the same rate and I've never
noticed a difference in need for aileron trim with two as opposed to
one. Which is a could thing because I've never seen a 172 with aileron trim.

On the 601XL I'm building most builders are installing aileron trim
because with just one person on-board some of the planes are a little
left wing heavy.

Also on planes that don't draw fuel equally from both wings you have to
switch tanks to keep the aircraft balanced. 150 lbs of fuel 4 feet out
on the wing has a LOT more effect on the balance of the aircraft than
200 lbs of meat near the center line.