>As I stated in the begining, wing tanks are great because they don't figure >in the gross weight of a flying airplane, the weight only becomes a issue >during landing and on the ground. >David Mikesell ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
David, I hope that what you mean in the above statement is that the weight of fuel in the outer wing panels doesn't figure in to the weight being carried by the wing attach fittings or else I have a GROSS misunderstanding of physics as it pertains to flight. What an airplane weighs on the ground (gross weight) is what an airplane weighs in flight and is weight the wings have to support. WHERE the weight is located in the wing determines the stresses that each part of the wing will have to handle. In the case of the KR with outer wing tanks it means the WAF's don't have to support the weight of the tank, fittings, fuel, etc. in flight. It also means that it will be an additional negative load on the ground. It could become a factor in very hard landings which would induce high G loads through the WAF's when the aircraft's support suddenly shifts from the wings to the landing gear. Other flight handling changes suggested by other netters would also apply. If your statement above were true we would all be flying a "flying wing" type aircraft. Once you got it off the ground it would have no gross weight. Think of the performance you would have!! This is not an attempt to continue beating a dead horse an is not a personal attach but an attempt to keep the information on the net as valid as possible. If I am GROSSLY in error here, someone correct me. Happy Thanksgiving to all........ Larry Flesner
