Empty Weight Explained: EASA & FAA Guidelines and Common Pitfalls

In aviation, weight and balance is not just math – it’s safety. Every number we enter builds on the empty weight of the aircraft. And if that number is off, the rest of the calculation will be too.

The basics: What Empty Weight means in Aircraft weighing

According to both FAA and EASA, empty weight includes the aircraft structure, the engines, permanently installed equipment, unusable fuel and full oil.What it does not include: usable fuel, passengers, baggage or loose equipment. In other words, anything that isn’t bolted down is not part of the empty weight.

The different “empty weights” following EASA/FAA guidelines

Depending on which manual you read, you’ll see a few variations:- Standard Empty Weight (FAA): structure, engines, installed equipment, unusable fuel and full oil.- Licensed Empty Weight (FAA): almost the same, but sometimes only the undrainable oil is included.- Basic Empty Weight (FAA & EASA): the above, plus any optional equipment that is permanently installed.- Certificated Basic Empty Weight (EASA/TCDS): the figure that appears in the official Type Certificate Data Sheet for that aircraft type.These differences may look small on paper, but they matter when we’re running the numbers.

Common mistakes we see

• Usable fuel counted as empty weight. It sounds obvious, but it still happens.

• Loose items sneaking in. Toolkits, headsets, even bags left onboard – they don’t belong in the empty weight.

• Oil misinterpreted. The FAA requires “full oil,” but sometimes only the undrainable portion is counted.

• Forgetting modifications. Extra avionics, new interiors, or additional seating

• If it’s permanently there, it must be in the empty weight.

Draining last unusable fuel manually from an Aircraft as part of a certified aircraft weighing procedure

If you want to dig deeper: Official EASA and FAA sources on aircraft empty weight

- EASA CS-23 – Certification Specifications: https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/certification-specifications/cs-23- FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 10: https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/12_phak_ch10.pdf- FAA Advisory Circular 120-27F – Weight and Balance Control: https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_120-27F.pdf- VansAirForce forum – pilots’ discussions on empty weight: https://vansairforce.net/threads/what-loose-equipment-do-you-guys-include-in-your-empty-weight.226886/

Closing thought: Why correct empty weight matters for safe aircraft operations

Empty weight may look like a small detail, but it’s the foundation of every calculation we make. Get it right, and the rest of the weight and balance will follow. Get it wrong, and the numbers can lead us astray.

Curious what comes next?

Knowing the empty weight is only part of the story. Preparing an aicraft correctly is just as important.

Read our follow-up blog: How to prepare an aircraft for weighing-step by step guide

In need of aircraft weight and balance support? Contact us today!