Aircraft Weight And Turn Performance

[Badmachine]

Could one explain how aircraft weight may or may not effect aircraft turning ability or cite a link to such information?

Are control surfaces less effective for a turning aircraft when it is heavier? (for example a fully loaded commercial Boeing as opposed to an empty one)

Thanks!

[Intruder]

Airspeed limits and G limits...

At higher weight, the aircraft has a higher minimum flying speed, so the minimum turning radius is larger.

At higher weight the limit G, and therefore bank angle for a level turn, may be lower, so the minimum turn radius may be larger.

The same control surfaces have to overcome more inertia for a heavier airplane, so maximum roll/pitch rates will be less.

[Gloom_PL]

Higher weight means higher wing load (more mass per square meter), and as the force to compensate grows (centifugal force equals mass times speed over radius of turn), you need either greater radius or higher lift from wing. Of course you can choose to increase power and raise lift, and have the same radius, but it's quite natural to say you'll have a bigger radius.

[HazelNuts39]

Inertia

The same control surfaces have to overcome more inertia for a heavier airplane, so maximum roll/pitch rates will be less.

It also matters where you put the weight. The spanwise mass distribution affects roll rate, longitudinal distribution pitch rate.

regards,
HN39