empty weight
{{Merge to|Tare weight|date=April 2025}}
The empty weight of a vehicle is based on its weight without any payload (cargo, passengers, usable fuel, etc.).https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/media/FAA-H-8083-1A.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101001234/http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/media/FAA-H-8083-1A.pdf |date=2016-01-01 }} Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook{{cite web |url=http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/ |title=Airplane Flying Handbook |accessdate=2011-07-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110630014450/http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/ |archivedate=2011-06-30 }} Airplane Flying Handbook (12-11)
Aviation
Many different empty weight definitions exist. Here are some of the more common ones used.
= GAMA standardization =
In 1975 (or 1976 per FAA-H-8083-1B) FAA-H-8083-1B the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) standardized the definition of empty weight terms for Pilot Operating Handbooks as follows:
| Standard Empty Weight | |
| + | Optional Equipment |
| colspan=2 |
---- | |
| Basic Empty Weight |
Standard Empty Weight includes the following:
- Empty weight of the airplane
- Full Hydraulic Fluid
- Unusable Fuel
- Full Oil
Optional Equipment includes the following:
- All equipment installed beyond standard
= Non-GAMA usage =
Previously (Regarding aircraft certified under CAR Part 3)FAA-H-8083-1B the following were commonly used to define empty weights:
| Empty Weight | |
| + | Unusable Fuel |
| Colspan=2 |
---- | |
| Standard Empty Weight |
| Standard Empty Weight | |
| + | Optional Equipment |
| colspan=2 |
---- | |
| Licensed Empty Weight |
In this definition Empty Weight includes the following:
- Empty weight of the airplane
- Undrainable Oil
- Full Hydraulic Fluid
Note that weight of oil must be added to Licensed Empty Weight for it to be equivalent to Basic Empty Weight
Ground transportation
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.{{cite web|title=Fact #621: May 3, 2010 Gross Vehicle Weight vs. Empty Vehicle Weight|publisher=United States Department of Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office|date=May 3, 2010|url=https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/fact-621-may-3-2010-gross-vehicle-weight-vs-empty-vehicle-weight}}