Which component is included in the useful load of a general aviation aircraft?

• A. The weight of the empty aircraft.
• B. The weight of the pilot, copilot, passengers, baggage, usable fuel, and drainable oil.
• C. The maximum allowable gross weight.
• D. The weight of fuel only.

Answer: (B)

The main concept is what counts toward the useful load: everything you can add to the airplane after you subtract the empty weight, up to the gross weight. This includes people on board, baggage, usable fuel, and drainable oil.

The weight of the pilot, copilot, passengers, baggage, usable fuel, and drainable oil is the complete set that makes up the useful load. It reflects the actual load the aircraft must carry in flight, not the empty weight or the overall weight limit itself. The empty airplane weight is the baseline, not part of the useful load. The maximum allowable gross weight is a limit for safety and performance, not a component of useful load. Fuel by itself doesn’t tell the whole story—you must also account for occupants and baggage.