On Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:30:17 GMT, "Mike Isaksen"
Interesting thread direction. Does anyone know what is usually the limiting
performance element the manufacturer runs up against to determine Gross
Weight Limits?

A thread on this a while back concluded that "go-around performance in the
landing configuration" was usually the determining factor. Another poster
cited service ceiling as being limiting. Anyone point to a researchable doc?

It could be any of a number of things. It could be go-around
performance. Service ceiling is unlikely, as AFAIK there's no
regulatory requirement for that. More often it's structural,
determined by airframe stresses at the the limit load factors. For
the new LSA class it's an arbitrary limit of 1320 lbs.

-Dana

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