Zero Fuel Weight in flight mechanics refers to the total weight of an aircraft without including the weight of the fuel on board. It comprises the weight of the aircraft structure, passengers, cargo, crew, and any other items on board, excluding the fuel. It is a critical parameter for flight planning, performance calculations, and weight distribution considerations, providing a baseline weight from which the impact of added fuel and subsequent changes in weight during flight can be assessed. The formula to calculate zero fuel weight as follows:
Where:
- WL is the Landing weight in kg,
- WRF is the Reserve Fuel in kg,
- WZF is the zero fuel weight in kg.