Empty weight explained

The empty weight of a vehicle is based on its weight without any payload (cargo, passengers, usable fuel, etc.).^[1] ^[2]

Aviation

Many different empty weight definitions exist. Here are some of the more common ones used.

In 1975 (or 1976 per FAA-H-8083-1B) ^[3] the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) standardized the definition of empty weight terms for Pilot Operating Handbooks as follows:

Standard Empty Weight includes the following:

Optional Equipment includes the following:

Previously (Regarding aircraft certified under CAR Part 3)^[4] the following were commonly used to define empty weights:

In this definition Empty Weight includes the following:

Note that weight of oil must be added to Licensed Empty Weight for it to be equivalent to Basic Empty Weight

In the United States, bridge weight limits for trucks and other heavy vehicles may be expressed in terms of gross vehicle weight or empty weight.^[5]

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/media/FAA-H-8083-1A.pdf Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook
Web site: Airplane Flying Handbook . 2011-07-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110630014450/http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/ . 2011-06-30 . Airplane Flying Handbook (12-11)
FAA-H-8083-1B
FAA-H-8083-1B
Web site: Fact #621: May 3, 2010 Gross Vehicle Weight vs. Empty Vehicle Weight. United States Department of Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office. May 3, 2010.