What must be done with tare weight when weighing an aircraft?

• A. Add tare weight to the scale reading.
• B. Ignore tare weight.
• C. Subtract tare weight from the scale reading.
• D. Multiply tare weight by scale factor.

Answer: (C)

When weighing an aircraft, you must account for the tare weight—the weight of the weighing equipment itself (the scale platform, carts, lifting gear, etc.). The scale reading overall includes both the aircraft and that tare. To get the true aircraft weight, subtract the tare from the scale reading. This prevents inflating the weight by the weight of the measuring setup.

For example, if the scale shows 20,000 pounds and the tare is 1,200 pounds, the aircraft’s actual weight is 18,800 pounds. Tare values are specific to the particular scale setup and must be used for each weighing, especially in multi-point weighings, to ensure accurate results.