Flight Performance Requirements

Range and Endurance

Turning Flight
Climb and Descent
MAE 155A
Oblique Wing Research Aircraft (NASA Image)
2
MAE 155A
Fuel Efficiency
Fuel efficiency for a reciprocating (piston-propeller) engine is specified by a number
called the Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC).
dW
dt
=C
P
j
C=BSFC
W=weight
t =time
P=power
j=propulsive efficiency
Fuel efficiency for a turbojet engine is specified by a number called the Thrust
Specific Fuel Consumption (TSFC).
dW
dt
=CT
C=TSFC
W=weight
t =time
T =thrust
3
MAE 155A
Breguet Range Formula
The Breguet Range Formula predicts how far a piston-propeller airplane can fly for a
given weight of fuel.
To maximize range (piston-prop):
Largest possible propulsive efficiency
Lowest possible BSFC
Largest possible fuel weight
Fly at an airspeed to maximize
R=
j
C
C
L
C
D
ln
W
i
W
f
R=range
j=propulsive efficiency
C=BSFC
C
L
=lift coefficient
C
D
=drag coefficient
W
i
=initial weight
W
f
=final weight
C
L
/C
D
constant CL
4
MAE 155A
Breguet Endurance Formulas
The Breguet Endurance Formula predicts how long (time) a piston-propeller airplane
can fly for a given weight of fuel.
To maximize endurance (piston-prop):
Largest possible propulsive efficiency
Lowest possible BSFC
Largest possible fuel weight
Fly at an airspeed to maximize
E=
j
C
C
L
3/ 2
C
D
(2jS)
1/ 2
(W
f
1/ 2
W
i
1/ 2
)
E=endurance
j=propulsive efficiency
C=BSFC
C
L
=lift coefficient
C
D
=drag coefficient
S=reference area
j=air density
V =airspeed
W
i
=initial weight
W
f
=final weight
C
L
3/ 2
/C
D
constant CL and altitude
E=
j
C
1
V
C
L
C
D
ln
W
i
W
f
constant CL and airspeed
C
L
/ C
D
or
5
MAE 155A
Jet Range Formulas
To maximize range (jet):
Lowest possible TSFC
Largest possible fuel weight
Fly at an airspeed to maximize
R=range
C=TSFC
C
L
=lift coefficient
C
D
=drag coefficient
S=reference area
V=airspeed
j=density
W
i
=initial weight
W
f
=final weight
The range of a jet airplane is predicted using the following formulas.
R=
V
C
C
L
C
D
ln
W
i
W
f
R=
2
C
C
L
1/ 2
C
D
.
2
jS
(W
i
1/ 2
W
f
1/ 2
)
constant CL and altitude
constant CL and airspeed
C
L
1/ 2
/ C
D
C
L
/ C
D
or
6
MAE 155A
Jet Endurance Formula
The endurance of a jet airplane is predicted using the following formula.
To maximize endurance (jet):
Lowest possible fuel consumption
Largest possible fuel weight
Fly at an airspeed to maximize
E=
1
C
C
L
C
D
ln
W
i
W
f
E=endurance
C=thrust specific fuel consumption
C
L
=lift coefficient
C
D
=drag coefficient
W
i
=initial weight
W
f
=final weight
C
L
/C
D
constant CL
7
MAE 155A
Turning Flight
Turning flight is achieved by choosing a non-zero bank angle.
0=
dV
dt
=g
|
(
TD
W
)
sin

0=
d
dt
=
g
V
(
ncos jcos
)
d
dt
=
g
V
nsin j
cos
0=
dh
dt
=V sin
constant airspeed
constant flight path
turn rate
constant altitude
and zero winds
j=tan
1
(
V
g
d
dt
)
=0
n=
cos
cos j
=
1
cos j
T =D+W sin =D
8
MAE 155A
Turn Rate and Radius
High performance aircraft may have design requirements involving turn rate and/or
turn radius.
d
dt
=
g
V
n
.
n
2
1
n
2
n=
1
cos j
sin j=
.
1cos
2
j=
.
1
1
n
2
=
.
n
2
1
n
2
d
dt
=
g
V
n sinj
d
dt
=
g
V
.n
2
1
V =Radius
d
dt
Radius=
V
2
g .n
2
1
9
MAE 155A
Sustained Turning
Additional thrust is needed to maintain airspeed during a turn.
T
R
=D=q S C
D
C
D
=C
D, 0
+K C
L
2
T
R
=D=q S C
D ,0
+q S K C
L
2
nW=L=q S C
L
T
R
=q S C
D, 0
+
K n
2
W
2
q S
q=
1
2
jV
2
T
R
=
1
2
jV
2
S C
D, 0
+
2 K n
2
W
2
jV
2
S
T
R
= thrust required
10
MAE 155A
Climbing Flight
A positive flight path angle is needed to climb.
0=
dV
dt
=g
|
(
TD
W
)
sin

0=
d
dt
=
g
V
(
ncos jcos
)
0=
d
dt
=
g
V
nsin j
cos
dh
dt
=V sin
constant airspeed
constant flight path
constant heading
climb rate
with zero winds
j=0
=sin
1
(
1
V
dh
dt
)
n=
cos
cosj
=cos
T =D+W sin
11
MAE 155A
Specific Excess Power
An aircraft's maximum rate of climb is found as the difference between power
required (for level flight) and power available from the engines.
R/C=
dh
dt
=V sin
T =D+W sin (T D)
V
W
=V sin
R/C=
T V DV
W
R/C=
T V DV
W
=
P
A
P
R
W
=
P
S
W
R/ C=rate of climb
h=altitude
t =time
V =airspeed
= flight pathangle
W=weight
D=drag
T =thrust
P
A
=power available
P
R
=power required
P
S
=specific excess power
12
MAE 155A
Altitude Ceilings
Absolute ceiling is the altitude at which the rate of climb is equal to zero.
Service ceiling is the altitude at which rate of climb is 100 ft/min (0.5 m/s).
Power required
at sea level
Power available
at sea level
Power required
at absolute ceiling
Power available
at absolute ceiling
R/C at sea level
R/C = 0
at absolute ceiling
Airspeed
Airspeed
R/C
Power
13
MAE 155A
Gliding Flight
Set thrust to zero, resulting in a negative flight path angle.
0=
dV
dt
=g
|
(
TD
W
)
sin

0=
d
dt
=
g
V
(
ncos jcos
)
0=
d
dt
=
g
V
nsin j
cos
dh
dt
=V sin
constant airspeed
and zero thrust
constant flight path
constant heading
climb rate
with zero winds
j=0
n=
cos
cos j
=cos
D+W sin =0
14
MAE 155A
Gliding Range and Endurance
Minimize flight path angle to maximize range.
Minimize the rate of descent to maximize endurance.
n=cos
D+W sin =0
=tan
1
(
2
.
K C
D , 0
)
V =
|
2W
jS
.
K
C
D, 0

1/ 2
=tan
1
(
.
16 K C
D, 0
3
)
V =
|
2W
jS
.
K
3C
D, 0

1/ 2
tan =
sin
cos
=
D
W
(
1
n
)
=
(
D
W
)(
W
L
)
=
(
D
L
)
=tan
1
(
1
L/ D
)