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3 Answers

Basic Empty Weight (Oil) – Archer vs Warrior

Asked by: 2340 views Aerodynamics, Aircraft Systems, FAA Regulations, Flight Instructor, General Aviation

Given: we know Empty Weight excludes the weight of the crew and payload, but includes the weight of all fixed ballast, unusable fuel supply, undrainable oil, total quantity of engine coolant, and total quantity of hydraulic fluid (Ref: FAA).

Question: Why does the PA28-181 (Archer) include full oil in the empty weight calculation (Ref: POH VB-760 REV5 para 6.3.a.4) while the PA28-151 includes only undrainable oil?  (Ref: POH VB-535 Page 5-3)? 

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3 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Jul 31, 2023

    I don’t have those two manuals available but are they both using the full term “basic empty weight”?

    There are three similar GAMA POH weights, “basic empty,” “standard,” and “licensed.” Of the three only “licensed” uses undrainable oil. The others use full operating fluids. All three and their differences are discussed in PHAK Chapter 10.

    The two things I can think of off the top of my head for a difference. One of the manuals is old enough to pre-date GAMA standardization. Remember that the modern POH and the standardization of sections and language across makes and models came from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, not the FAA.

    Or, for some reason Piper chose to use different terms.

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  2. Mark Kolber on Jul 31, 2023

    “Basic empty weight.”
    “Standard empty weight.”
    “Licensed empty weight.”

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  3. dudebro311 on Jul 31, 2023

    Thank you for directing me to PHAK Ch10- I’m sure that’s where the answer resides! Cheers!

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