Aircraft conceptual design is an iterative process, which favors the use of weight equations for initial weight assessment. Some weight equations can be found in handbooks while others are heavily guarded company secrets. Several weight equations are constrained or limited in use to either military or civil applications or to certain weight classes, layouts etc. This might cause trouble if the designer is less observant about the validity of constraints in used weight equations. In the best of all worlds the aircraft designer would like to possess a tool which incorporates a logically built up weight assessment process for structures and which apart from being iterative, should be adaptable to the design, needs and layout of the specific aircraft on the drawing board. This approach essentially means backing off from weight equation dependence, but is this really possible to do? This paper aims to find out.
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