Load Factors, Maneuvering Speeds and Weight

[dmspilot]

Reading comprehension is a useful skill outside of school.

 

[Cooter]

My first assumption is that the max load factor of 4.4g is the same at all flying weights.

At a flying weight of 1350 lbs, the wings must produce... 5940 lbs of lift to generate 4.4g. Any more lift than that would damage something.

Why is that so? Where is the flaw in my understanding?

I could be mistaken but I think the "fault" of the OPs understanding was that the published load factor limit was the ACTUAL load limit for both weights, but in reality it is probably only true for the higher weight.

I guess I should have said, in reality it is only true for the higher weight. My answer to the back and forth about Gs vs maximum weight limit is that the pilot can feel the Gs and can reasonably guess what that is without a G-meter. The pilot has no way of reliably knowing what 11,400 lbs on the wings feels like. Ask any aerobatic or fighter pilot and they should tell you that they can pretty well guess what 4Gs is without looking down. By certifying the load factor it for the higher weight limit, it only adds a safety factor. In reality, it wouldn't change the G's available to the pilot that much anyway. When in a light civil aircraft would you need to pull 4.8Gs instead of 4.4Gs, and how would you know anyway?

 

[Dan Thomas]

Reading comprehension is a useful skill outside of school.

Maybe you should re-read the first few posts.

I used to teach this stuff. In college.