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Minimizing Induced Drag With Weight Distribution, Lift Distribution, Wingspan, And Wing-Structure Weight, Warren F. Phillips, Douglas F. Hunsaker, Jeffrey D. Taylor

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Because the wing-structure weight required to support the critical wing section bending moments is a function of wingspan, net weight, weight distribution, and lift distribution, there exists an optimum wingspan and wing-structure weight are presented for rectangular wings with four different sets of design constraints. These design constraints are fixed lift distribution and net weight combined with 1) fixed maximum stress and wing loading, 2) fixed maximum deflection and wing loading, 3) fixed maximum stress and stall speed and 4) fixed maximum deflection and stall speed. For each of these analytic solutions, the optimum wing-structure weight is found to depend …