Which term describes the combined load of the aircraft itself, the crew, the fuel, and the cargo or baggage, pulling the aircraft downward due to gravity?

• A. Weight
• B. Mass
• C. Force
• D. Load

Answer: (A)

Weight is the downward force that gravity exerts on the aircraft’s total mass, including the airframe, crew, fuel, and cargo. In physics this is the product of mass and gravitational acceleration, so it represents the actual pull toward the Earth. Mass describes how much matter there is, but not the force of gravity on it, so it doesn’t convey the downward load. Force is a general term for push or pull and isn’t specific to gravity’s effect. Load can be vague and may refer to payload or other stresses, but it doesn’t specify the gravitational pull. Therefore, weight best describes the combined downward load acting on the aircraft.