Which items are included in the empty weight of an aircraft?

• A. Unusable fuel and undrainable oil
• B. Usable fuel and drainable oil
• C. Payload and baggage
• D. Crew and passengers

Answer: (A)

Empty weight is the baseline weight of the aircraft, including the airframe, engines, fixed equipment, and fluids that cannot be drained or removed between flights. This specifically includes unusable fuel—the portion of fuel that cannot be used by the engine—and undrainable oil that remains in the lubrication system. Usable fuel and payload (crew, passengers, baggage) are not part of empty weight; they’re added on top to form the useful load. Knowing this distinction is important for weight and balance, since gross weight equals empty weight plus usable fuel plus payload. Therefore, the items included in empty weight are unusable fuel and undrainable oil.