Payload-range diagram
Also: payload-range chart, payload-range curve
Chart showing how much payload an aircraft can carry over each distance, revealing the trade-off between payload and fuel within the maximum take-off weight.
What it is
Range runs along the horizontal axis and payload up the vertical one. The curve has three segments. First comes a flat line: the aircraft carries its maximum payload, limited by the maximum zero fuel weight, and adds fuel until it reaches the maximum take-off weight. Beyond that point, flying further means trading payload for fuel, and the curve slopes down.
The second corner comes when the tanks are full: no more fuel will fit, and only by removing more payload, which lightens the aircraft, can a little more distance be gained. The final point, with no payload and full tanks, is the ferry range, relevant for deliveries and positioning flights.
Airlines use the diagram to match aircraft to routes. A route that falls on a sloping section means limiting passengers or cargo, while one within the flat section can be flown full unless wind, temperature or runway limits impose other restrictions.
Related terms
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This page was last updated on October 9, 2026
APA
Vuelopedia. (2026, October 9). Payload-range diagram. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/payload-range-diagram
MLA
“Payload-range diagram.” Vuelopedia, Fundación Poderia, 9 Oct. 2026, vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/payload-range-diagram. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.
Chicago
Vuelopedia. “Payload-range diagram.” Fundación Poderia. Last modified October 9, 2026. https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/payload-range-diagram.
Harvard
Vuelopedia (2026) Payload-range diagram. Available at: https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/payload-range-diagram (Accessed: 16 October 2026).
BibTeX
@misc{vuelopedia_en_glossary_payload_range_diagram,
author = {{Vuelopedia}},
title = {{Payload-range diagram}},
publisher = {Fundación Poderia},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-09},
url = {https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/payload-range-diagram},
howpublished = {\url{https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/payload-range-diagram}},
urldate = {2026-10-16},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16}
}Wikipedia
{{cite web |url=https://vuelopedia.org/en/glossary/payload-range-diagram |title=Payload-range diagram |website=Vuelopedia |publisher=Fundación Poderia |date=2026-10-09 |access-date=2026-10-16 |language=en}}