Under current airworthiness standards, the oil contained in the supply tank is considered a part of which weight?

Under current airworthiness standards, the oil contained in the supply tank is considered a part of which weight?

• A. a part of the payload.
• B. part of the usable fuel.
• C. not part of the empty weight.
• D. a part of the empty weight.

Answer: (D)

Oil stored in the supply tank is considered part of the aircraft’s fixed inventory of fluids that stay with the airplane and are necessary for operation. Empty weight represents the aircraft’s weight with all fixed equipment and required fluids installed, before adding payload or usable fuel. Since the oil is not payload and it isn’t usable fuel, it sits with the airplane as part of the empty weight. In weight-and-balance terms, basic empty weight plus payload plus usable fuel defines takeoff weight, so the oil contributes to the empty weight figure.

Oil stored in the supply tank is considered part of the aircraft’s fixed inventory of fluids that stay with the airplane and are necessary for operation. Empty weight represents the aircraft’s weight with all fixed equipment and required fluids installed, before adding payload or usable fuel. Since the oil is not payload and it isn’t usable fuel, it sits with the airplane as part of the empty weight. In weight-and-balance terms, basic empty weight plus payload plus usable fuel defines takeoff weight, so the oil contributes to the empty weight figure.