Before you do a ratiometric scaling of the gross weight based on
decreasing the factor of safety from 2.0 to 1.5 you MUST subtract the
weight of the wings AND the fuel in them. This totals about 950 pounds.
Add the weight back after scaling. You also need to use the original
design gross of 2,900 pounds.

Brent,

 

Thanks for a smarter way to look at wing loading.  I guess I just wasn't making any headway with those that want to justify enormous increases in gross weights without taking into account the most deadly of consequences besides those that result in other problems - flight control issues, landing gear overloads and general reduction of structural safety margins.

 

Perhaps the Lancair 320/360 has seen the most modifications, all of which change weight considerations and some of which do alter spanwise loads on the wing.  A popular modification was to add 5 gallon fuel bays outboard of the aileron bellcrank, thus adding 30 pounds at an arm of about 105 inches.  Some have added 2-foot wing extensions and some have added both with no change in the spars.

 

The NTSB has just recommended that the FAA instruct the airlines to more carefully inspect aircraft after encounters with severe turbulence because of composite delaminations missed during normal maintenance procedures.

 

The Lintless Navel Aviator,