Aircraft Design and Weight Estimation Nomenclature
Weight components of airplane explained as follows: a) Crew weight ( c W ) The crew comprises the people necessary to operate the airplane in flight. e.g., Pilot, Co-pilot, Airhostess etc. b) Payload weight ( p W ) The payload is what the airplane is mentioned to transport passengers, baggage, freight etc. (Military use the payload includes bombs, rockets and other disposable ordnance) . c) Fuel weight ( f W ) This is the weight of the fuel in the fuel tanks. Since fuel is consumed during the course of flight. is a variable, decreasing with time during the flight. d) Empty weight ( e W ) This is weight of everything else-the structure engines (with all accessory equipment), electronic equipment landing gear, fixed equipment and anything else that is not crew, payload or fuel. e) Gross weight ( 0 W ) The sum of these weights is the total weight of the airplane. Gross weight or total weight varies through the flight because fuel is being consumed. The design take off gross weight is the weight of the airplane at the instant it begins its mission. It includes the weight of the fuel.
