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Display name:
StraightnLevel
This is certainly true - BUT - not all safety features add weight. Crumple zones and structural design with an eye towards impact response does not always require additional material.Considering that the plane only outweighs a 2023 Chevy Tahoe by about 100 pounds despite having two engines, I think the modern auto has a bit more room in the weight category to enhance safety and collisions features.
Collapsible columns, crumple zones, crush structures, etc., can all be applied in ways that add little if any weight, but can improve survivability in this sort of collision. Yes, things like intrusion bars and airbags are costly in both weight and $$$, but they are only part of the story. Modern race cars utilize these design techniques very successfully, and they are much closer to the weight of a LSA than a Tahoe.
None of that is going to help with a plane of the age of the Lockheed, but I would surmise that newer designs could be improved without adding much in the way of cost or weight.