Plain English Meaning

A paper record that tells you how heavy your specific aircraft is when empty, where its balance point sits, and exactly what gear was installed when it left the factory. You use it as the baseline every time you work out whether the aircraft is loaded within limits.

Full Definition

A document, supplied by the aircraft manufacturer and kept with the aircraft, that records the empty weight and center of gravity of the specific aircraft as delivered, along with a list of every item of equipment installed at that time. It serves as the starting reference for all subsequent weight and balance calculations and is updated whenever equipment is added, removed, or altered.

Context Anchor

Found in the aircraft’s POH, AFM, or aircraft records during preflight planning and calculations.