What is the maximum zero fuel weight?

• A. 33,500 lbs
• B. 26,800 lbs
• C. 1,000 lbs
• D. 45,000 lbs

Answer: (B)

Zero fuel weight is the aircraft’s weight with all payload (passengers, baggage, cargo, and fluids) but with no usable fuel in the tanks. The maximum zero fuel weight is a limit set by the aircraft’s design to keep the structure and the center of gravity within safe bounds when the aircraft carries its payload without fuel.

For the Longitude 700, the manufacturer defines this limit as 26,800 pounds. That means you can load the aircraft up to 26,800 lb of payload and other non-fuel items, but you cannot exceed this weight while keeping the tanks empty. When planning, you then add usable fuel up to the overall takeoff limits (MTOW), which allows you to reach the desired range and performance without breaching structural or balance constraints.

So, the maximum zero fuel weight is 26,800 pounds. The other figures would exceed the weight limit set for payload-only loading or aren’t representative of the ZFW constraint.