The OP has an interesting engineering project ahead. But the idea that you necessarily need a specialize bike or to carry enormous amounts of weight to tour and fly with your bike isn't correct. I'm disappointed when I read threads like this as it makes touring so much more complicated than it needs to be, I wish more people were strapping some plastic bags to the back of the 10speed racer like we did back in the 1970's rather than looking to increase wheelbase and add airline compliant cases. I still don't really see the problem. I've flown with my bike and gear all in a single soft sided case at a weight of 40lbs total and wasn't charged anything. That was on transatlantic flights so it might be different on US internal flights. The problem of what to do with the case is solved by either leaving it at your hotel or simply posting it to yourself for pick up at any convenient Post Office.