CAAP Private Pilot License (PPL) – EQC for C172 Practice Exam 2026: The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success!

Wing loading is the weight the wing must support per square foot of wing area. It’s calculated by dividing the airplane’s gross weight by the total wing area. In this problem, using the given weight and wing area gives 14.7 pounds per square foot, which is why that value is the wing loading. This value helps indicate how a plane will behave at higher weights or with smaller wings; higher wing loading tends to raise stall speed and affect handling. The other numbers would result from using different weight or wing area values, not the data provided.