Wing Loading Calculator

Work out wing loading instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Wing Loading Calculator

Wing loading is weight divided by wing area. It drives stall speed (which scales with the square root of wing loading), ride quality in turbulence and turn performance: a lightly loaded wing stalls slowly and turns tightly, a heavily loaded wing rides gusts more smoothly and cruises more efficiently at speed.

Formula

Wing loading

W/S = weight / wing area

Worked example

With the default values below, Wing Loading Calculator returns Wing loading of 70.99. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Aircraft weight: 1,150 kg
Wing area: 16.2 m²

Results

Wing loading: 70.99 kg/m²
Wing loading: 696.15 N/m²
Wing loading: 14.54 lb/ft²
Relative stall speed index: 8.425

Step by step

1Values used
2Wing loading
3Wing loading= 70.99 kg/m²
4Wing loading= 696.15 N/m²
5Wing loading= 14.54 lb/ft²
6Relative stall speed index= 8.425

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
Aviation results are planning estimates only. Always verify take-off, landing, fuel, weight and balance figures against the certified Aircraft Flight Manual, current performance charts and applicable aviation regulations before flight.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Aviation results are planning estimates only. Always verify take-off, landing, fuel, weight and balance figures against the certified Aircraft Flight Manual, current performance charts and applicable aviation regulations before flight.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are typical values?

Roughly 25-40 kg/m2 for light trainers, 100-200 kg/m2 for business jets and 500-700 kg/m2 for large transports at maximum weight.

Why does high wing loading give a smoother ride?

A given gust produces a smaller acceleration on a heavier aircraft for the same wing area, so vertical jolts are damped.