Calculate FlyByWire A380X ZFW correctly, find ZFWCG in the EFB, enter both in the FMS, and fix unit, loading and validation errors.
In Microsoft Flight Simulator, calculate the FlyByWire A380X zero fuel weight by adding dry operating weight to passengers, baggage and cargo, excluding all usable fuel. Once loading is complete, take the final ZFW and ZFWCG from the EFB/loadsheet and enter them in the FMS ZFW/ZFWCG field.
What is included in A380X zero fuel weight?
Zero fuel weight includes the operating aircraft and its entire payload, but no usable fuel. The basic calculation is ZFW = dry operating weight + payload. Payload includes passengers, checked baggage, freight and any other traffic load.
Do not add crew, catering or service equipment twice. Depending on the source, those items may already be included in dry operating weight or operating empty weight. Our explanation of what zero fuel weight includes and excludes covers that distinction in more detail.
For example, an illustrative dry operating weight of 280,000 kg plus 45,000 kg of payload gives a ZFW of 325,000 kg, or 325.0 tonnes. This is only a calculation example, not an A380X limit or recommended load.
Changing fuel does not change ZFW. It changes gross weight, take-off weight and the aircraft's fuel-loaded centre of gravity. If adding fuel changes the number you are treating as ZFW, you are probably reading gross weight instead.
How do I find the correct ZFWCG?
Use the final ZFWCG shown by the A380X EFB, payload page or completed loadsheet. ZFW alone cannot reveal the centre of gravity because the result depends on where passengers, baggage and cargo have been placed.
ZFWCG is normally expressed as a percentage of mean aerodynamic chord, or %MAC. A manual calculation requires the empty-aircraft moment and the arm or moment for every loading station: CG arm = total zero-fuel moment / ZFW. Converting that arm to %MAC also requires the model's LEMAC and MAC data. The underlying method is explained in our guide to aircraft weight and balance calculations.
Do not copy a field labelled simply CG after fuel has been loaded unless the A380X explicitly identifies it as ZFWCG. Likewise, ZFWCG is not the take-off trim setting.
How do I enter ZFW and ZFWCG in the A380X FMS?
Enter the final loaded values on the FMS initialisation or weight page containing the editable ZFW/ZFWCG field.
- Complete the payload load. Set the passengers, baggage and cargo in the EFB payload or boarding page, apply the load and wait for boarding or loading to finish. Use the loaded figures rather than an uncompleted target.
- Record the final values. Note both ZFW and ZFWCG from the aircraft's weight summary or loadsheet. Check that the load is within the displayed weight and CG limits.
- Open the FMS weight entry. Using the cockpit's normal FMS controls, open the initialisation or weight page and locate ZFW/ZFWCG. The exact page label and whether values populate automatically can vary between A380X builds.
- Enter the displayed units. Where a combined field is provided, an illustrative entry would be
325.0/39.2: 325.0 tonnes and 39.2% MAC. If the page supplies separate boxes, enter the values separately instead. - Confirm the accepted figures. Compare the FMS values with the final EFB values. If the aircraft populated them automatically and they match, no manual replacement is needed.
A weight of 325,000 kg is normally entered as 325.0 when the FMS field is labelled in tonnes, not as 325000. Follow the unit printed on the page; if the source uses pounds, convert it before entry rather than copying the number unchanged.
Should I use the SimBrief or EFB ZFW?
Use the A380X's final loaded EFB figures for the aircraft state; use SimBrief values as the dispatch plan. The two should agree closely when the same passenger, baggage and cargo load has been applied, but an imported plan is not proof that physical loading has finished.
If required, follow our instructions for importing a SimBrief plan into the A380X, then apply or board its planned payload. A SimBrief ZFW does not replace the model's final ZFWCG, which depends on the actual in-simulator load distribution.
Why does the A380X reject my ZFW entry?
Most rejected or implausible ZFW entries come from incorrect units, copying gross weight or using figures captured before loading finished.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Entry is rejected immediately | Kilograms or pounds were entered into a tonnes field, the separator is wrong, or the value is outside the permitted range | Check the displayed unit and field format; convert 325,000 kg to 325.0 tonnes where required |
| ZFW is too high by roughly the fuel load | Gross or ramp weight was entered instead of ZFW | Subtract usable fuel or copy the field explicitly labelled ZFW |
| ZFW agrees but ZFWCG does not | The planned CG, fuel-loaded CG or a different cargo distribution was used | Copy the final EFB value labelled ZFWCG after payload loading |
| Values keep changing | Passengers or cargo are still boarding | Wait for loading to finish, then update both entries |
| Weight or CG is outside limits | The aircraft is overloaded or payload distribution is outside the permitted envelope | Reduce or redistribute payload in the EFB; do not force an invented CG into the FMS |
What should I check after entering ZFW?
Confirm that displayed gross weight is approximately ZFW + fuel on board, allowing for rounding and fuel already burned. A large difference usually means the wrong weight or unit was entered.
Take-off weight is not ZFW plus the original block fuel if taxi fuel has already been consumed. It is approximately ZFW + fuel remaining at take-off. Landing weight is approximately ZFW plus predicted landing fuel.
Any change to passengers, baggage or cargo requires ZFW and ZFWCG to be checked again, followed by updated take-off performance. A fuel-only change does not alter ZFW or ZFWCG, although it does alter gross weight, take-off weight and fuel-loaded CG.