Which tasks are completed prior to weighing an aircraft to determine its empty weight?

Which tasks are completed prior to weighing an aircraft to determine its empty weight?

• A. Remove all items except those on the aircraft equipment list; drain fuel and fill hydraulic reservoir
• B. Fill fuel tank and leave hydraulic reservoir as is
• C. Remove all items and drain all fluids
• D. Weigh the aircraft with equipment installed and fuel full

Answer: (A)

When determining empty weight, you want the airplane’s mass as a baseline with only what’s considered standard equipment on board and no usable fuel. This means removing anything not on the approved equipment list so you’re not including optional items or payload. You also drain the usable fuel so no fuel is counted in the weight, since empty weight should reflect the aircraft without the fuel that would be used for flight. At the same time, the hydraulic system should be kept at the normal operating level, so the known amount of hydraulic fluid remains on board and is included in the weight. This combination gives a repeatable reference mass that represents the aircraft in its standard, unladen state. So, removing non-essential items and ensuring fuel is drained while hydraulic fluid is at the specified level is the proper approach. Weighing with fuel on board or with all fluids drained or with equipment fully installed and fueled would not yield the true empty weight.

When determining empty weight, you want the airplane’s mass as a baseline with only what’s considered standard equipment on board and no usable fuel. This means removing anything not on the approved equipment list so you’re not including optional items or payload. You also drain the usable fuel so no fuel is counted in the weight, since empty weight should reflect the aircraft without the fuel that would be used for flight. At the same time, the hydraulic system should be kept at the normal operating level, so the known amount of hydraulic fluid remains on board and is included in the weight. This combination gives a repeatable reference mass that represents the aircraft in its standard, unladen state.

So, removing non-essential items and ensuring fuel is drained while hydraulic fluid is at the specified level is the proper approach. Weighing with fuel on board or with all fluids drained or with equipment fully installed and fueled would not yield the true empty weight.