The useful load of an aircraft consists of which of the following components?

• A. Crew, usable fuel, passengers, and cargo
• B. Empty weight
• C. Fuel only
• D. Payload and baggage

Answer: (A)

The useful load is everything the airplane can carry beyond its empty weight—the people aboard, their baggage, any cargo, and the usable fuel on board. That makes the description including crew, usable fuel, passengers, and cargo the best fit, since it covers all components that count toward useful load. The other options miss parts of what’s included: empty weight is the baseline not part of useful load; fuel only leaves out people and cargo; and payload plus baggage describes the non-fuel payload but omits usable fuel (and crew). In practice, useful load equals payload plus usable fuel, so including both together precisely matches what the airplane is allowed to carry beyond its empty weight.