Enter the wingspan, root chord, and an average thickness/width (the 3rd dimension) to estimate wing volume (a simplified geometric approximation).
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Wing Volume Formula
The following formula estimates wing volume for a triangular planform wing when it is approximated as a prism of constant thickness/width (a geometric approximation).
WV = 0.5*WS*RC*T
- Where WV is the estimated wing volume
- WS is the wingspan
- RC is the root chord
- T is the average thickness/width (3rd dimension)
To estimate the volume, find the wing planform area (for a triangular planform, 0.5·WS·RC), then multiply by the assumed constant thickness/width T. (For other planforms, compute planform area first, then multiply by T.)
What is a wing volume?
Definition:
Wing volume is the physical volume occupied by the wing structure. In practice, it depends on the airfoil shape and thickness distribution, so it generally cannot be determined exactly from just span and chord lengths. Wing volume is most commonly used for rough material/structure or internal volume estimates, while aerodynamic lift calculations primarily use wing area, air density, airspeed, and lift coefficient.
How to calculate wing volume?
Example Problem:
The following example outlines how to estimate the volume of a wing using the simplified “constant thickness” prism approximation.
First, determine the wingspan of the wing. In this example, the wingspan is measured to be 25 ft.
Next, determine the root chord. In this example, the root chord is measured to be 5 ft.
Next, determine an average thickness/width (the 3rd dimension used for the prism approximation). In this case, the average thickness is 0.5 ft (6 in).
Finally, calculate the wing volume using the formula above:
WV = 0.5*WS*RC*T
WV = 0.5*25*5*0.5
WV = 31.25 ft^3
