If all seats are occupied, full baggage weight carried, and all fuel tanks full, what will be the weight condition of the aircraft?

If all seats are occupied, full baggage weight carried, and all fuel tanks full, what will be the weight condition of the aircraft?

• A. It will be in excess of maximum takeoff weight.
• B. It will be at maximum zero fuel weight.
• C. It will be under basic empty weight.
• D. It will be equal to payload capacity.

Answer: (A)

The weight a aircraft must never exceed is its maximum takeoff weight. At takeoff, you add together the basic empty weight, the payload (passengers and baggage), and the fuel. If all seats are occupied and baggage is full, you’ve already added a substantial payload, and filling all fuel tanks pushes the total beyond what the aircraft is allowed to lift for takeoff. That means the aircraft would be in excess of maximum takeoff weight. The other options don’t fit because the weight would not be at the maximum zero fuel weight (that limit excludes fuel, and here you have full fuel), nor would it be under the basic empty weight (you’ve added payload and fuel), and it isn’t simply equal to payload capacity (that’s only the payload portion, not the total weight with fuel).

The weight a aircraft must never exceed is its maximum takeoff weight. At takeoff, you add together the basic empty weight, the payload (passengers and baggage), and the fuel. If all seats are occupied and baggage is full, you’ve already added a substantial payload, and filling all fuel tanks pushes the total beyond what the aircraft is allowed to lift for takeoff. That means the aircraft would be in excess of maximum takeoff weight.

The other options don’t fit because the weight would not be at the maximum zero fuel weight (that limit excludes fuel, and here you have full fuel), nor would it be under the basic empty weight (you’ve added payload and fuel), and it isn’t simply equal to payload capacity (that’s only the payload portion, not the total weight with fuel).