Mailing List lml@lancaironline.net Message #17142
From: Lorn H. Olsen <lorn@dynacomm.ws>
Sender: Marvin Kaye <marv@lancaironline.net>
Subject: Re: Wing Loading mysteries
Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 11:30:36 -0500
To: <lml>
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.

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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
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