[…]As an alternative to creating the database,structure,and data programmatically,you can distribute a pre-populated database with your application. To distribute a predefined database,include the database file in the application’s AIR package.

Like all files that are included in an AIR package,a bundled database file is installed in the application directory (the directory represented by the File.applicationDirectory property). However,files in that directory are read-only. Use the file from the AIR package as a “template” database. The first time a user runs the application,copy the original database file into the user’s application storage directory (or another location),and use that database within the application.

那么,你的问题的答案：

can you ship an empty database as part of the distributed app?

是是的！