Wing loading

In aerodynamics, wing loading is the total mass of an aircraft or flying animal divided by the area of its wing. The stalling speed, takeoff speed and landing speed of an aircraft are partly determined by its wing loading.

The faster an aircraft flies, the more its lift is changed by a change in angle of attack so a smaller wing is less adversely affected by vertical gusts. Consequently, faster aircraft generally have higher wing loadings than slower aircraft in order to avoid excessive response to vertical gusts.

A higher wing loading also decreases maneuverability. The same constraints apply to winged biological organisms.