How to Calculate Wing Surface Area

Wing size determines lift force.

A wing's surface area often serves as a starting point for calculating the lift force on a rising plane. Sometimes, however, you will know the lift force, and you must work backwards to determine the surface area.

Things You'll Need

• Calculator or computer

Instructions

1. Multiply lift force by 2. For instance, if the lift force is 12,000 newtons (N):

   12,000 x 2 = 24,000 N

2. Divide the answer by the lift coefficient. For instance, if your lift coefficient is 0.25:

   24,000 / 0.25 = 96,000

3. Divide the answer by the density of air. For instance, if the density is 1.2 kg/cubic meter:

   96,000 / 1.2 = 80,000

4. Square the velocity. For instance, if the velocity is 50 meters per second (m/s):

   50 x 50 = 2,500

5. Divide the answer of Step 3 by the answer to Step 4:

   80,000 / 2,500 = 32 square meters

Tips & Warnings

• This calculates the top surface area of both wings. The total surface area of both wings, top and bottom, is double this.

• If you don't have a calculator handy, enter your formula into your computer's calculator or a Google search bar.

References

• NASA: Modern Lift Equation

Resources

• AJ Design Software: Interactive Lift Calculator