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Zero Fuel Weight Calculator

Work out zero fuel weight instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Zero Fuel Weight Calculator

Zero fuel weight is the aircraft plus everything in it except usable fuel. It is limited because fuel in the wings relieves wing bending in flight: with too much weight in the fuselage and too little in the wings, the wing root loads exceed design values even if take-off weight is legal.

Formula

Zero fuel weight

ZFW = operating empty weight + payload; must not exceed MZFW

Worked example

With the default values below, Zero Fuel Weight Calculator returns Zero fuel weight of 4,500.00. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Operating empty weight
3,400 kg
Total payload
1,100 kg
Maximum zero fuel weight
4,600 kg

Results

Zero fuel weight
4,500.00 kg
Margin below MZFW
100.00 kg
Additional payload available
100.00 kg
Result
Within MZFW

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Zero fuel weight
  3. 3Zero fuel weight= 4,500.00 kg
  4. 4Margin below MZFW= 100.00 kg
  5. 5Additional payload available= 100.00 kg
  6. 6Result= Within MZFW

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 3 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • Aviation results are planning estimates only. Always verify take-off, landing, fuel, weight and balance figures against the certified Aircraft Flight Manual, current performance charts and applicable aviation regulations before flight.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Aviation results are planning estimates only. Always verify take-off, landing, fuel, weight and balance figures against the certified Aircraft Flight Manual, current performance charts and applicable aviation regulations before flight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is MZFW a structural limit?

Wing fuel acts downward and offsets the upward lift, reducing wing root bending moment. Payload in the fuselage does not, so it is limited separately.

Can extra fuel fix an MZFW problem?

No. Adding fuel raises take-off weight but does nothing to ZFW. The only fix is offloading payload.

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