Sender: <marv@lancaironline.net> (Marvin Kaye)
To: lml
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:30:36 -0500
Message-ID: <redirect-1983084@logan.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
In-Reply-To: <redirect-1982237@logan.com>
References: <redirect-1982237@logan.com>
From: "Lorn H. Olsen" <lorn@dynacomm.ws>
Subject: Re: Wing Loading mysteries
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

Airplane  WngLd  Weight  Flight Characteristics  Emergency Procedures
--------  -----  ------  ----------------------  ------------------------
C-172      13    2,300   Glides at 65 kts        Glide to lnd sight, land
                          flys btwn 44 & 158
                          you can feel the bumps,
                          but they aren't that hard
LNC2       24    1,800   Glides at 100 kts       Look for a long field
                          flys btwn 50 & 230      try to land
                          turbulence hurts
LIV        32    3,200   Glides at 120 kts       Look for a longer field
                          flys btwn 65 & 350      try to land
                          handles bumps OK
CommJet    50   50,000   Glides at 150 kts       Look for a big airport
                          flys btwn 100 & 550     hope that you get there
                          turbulence doesn't hurt
F-105     200   50,000   Glides at 250 kts       Eject
                          flys btwn 200 & 1,600
                          leave leading edge slats down below mach 1
                          watch speed, no indication of exceeding mach 1
                          you will never feel turbulence

What all is the difference between these planes? Can we draw flight 
characteristics conclusions?

Scott's idea, that sitting on the spar, makes you feel the bumps more 
may have some validity. In general, the higher the wing loading, the 
smoother the ride and the more speed is needed to stay in the air 
and, of course, take off and land. Also, it is my belief, that the 
total weight, giving a higher total moment of inertia, will soften 
the bumps that we feel.

Don't forget that if the wing is loaded to highly from weight, 
turbulence or flight maneuvers, it will break.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: All of the numbers above are approximations that were 
made up by me to further our understanding and discussions of the 
flight characteristics of wing loading.
-- 
Lorn H. 'Feathers' Olsen, MAA, DynaComm, Corp.
248-478-4301, mailto:lorn@dynacomm.ws
LNC2, O-320-D1F, N31161, Y47, SE Michigan