Weight categories: licensed, basic, maximum permissible, useful load
Weight terms (TP 1102, Weight and Balance):
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Licensed empty weight | Basic aircraft + fixed equipment + unusable fuel and oil only |
| Basic empty weight | Basic aircraft + fixed equipment + unusable fuel + full operating fluids, incl. full oil |
| Maximum permissible weight | Max permissible gross take-off weight in the Certificate of Airworthiness. TP 1102 term; CARs 101.01(1) MTOW is the state-of-registry or type-certificate figure (see below) |
| Useful load | Everything loaded above empty weight: crew, passengers, baggage, usable fuel and oil, other non-fixed items. Useful load = maximum permissible weight − empty weight |
| Gross weight | Empty weight + useful load: whole loaded aircraft incl. fuel, oil, crew, passengers, cargo (AFH glossary) |
- TP 1102 also uses "gross weight" for the maximum permissible limit ("the weight is below the gross weight", Weight and Balance; "weights below gross", Cruise). Read context: limit = maximum permissible weight; loaded total = AFH glossary sense.
CAR 101.01(1) empty weight = total weight of:
- Airframe (incl. rotor on a helicopter or gyroplane)
- Power plant
- Fixed ballast
- Unusable fuel
- Maximum amount of normal operating fluids:
- Included: oil, power-plant coolant, hydraulic, de-icing and anti-icing fluid
- Excluded: potable water, lavatory pre-charge fluid, fluid for engine injection
- All installed equipment
Take-off weight limits:
| Term | Definition | Cite |
|---|---|---|
| MCTOW (maximum certificated take-off weight) | Weight identified as such in the type certificate | TC AIM RAC 3.4.1(i) |
| MTOW (maximum permissible take-off weight) | Max take-off weight authorized by the state of registry, or provided for in the type certificate | CARs 101.01(1); TC AIM RAC 3.4.1(j) |
- Glossary: MTOW = maximum weight allowed for takeoff (PHAK ch.10, Weight and Balance glossary).
Trap: licensed vs basic empty weight differ on operating fluids: unusable-only (licensed) vs topped up full, oil included (basic).
References
- TP 1102, Weight and Balance: Useful Load
- CARs 101.01(1), definitions of empty weight and maximum permissible take-off weight
- TC AIM RAC 3.4.1(i)-(j)
- PHAK ch.10, Weight and Balance (glossary)
- FAA-H-8083-3 AFH, glossary (gross weight, loaded sense; TP 1102 uses it for the limit)