Problem:

Cessna CJ4 is a Business Jet aircraft. It carries 1 crew and 5

passengers. It is powered by 2 Williams FJ44-1AP Turbofans.

Specifications:
WTO = 7688 kg
Wfuel = 454 kg
S=25.5 m2
l = 14.3 m
c = 2.0 m
VC = 720 km/h
CLmax = 1.5
CLmin = -1.2
dCL/d= 5.6 rad-1

Based on the given data and data available from open

literature, draw accurately on graph papers the V-n Diagram
and its associated Gust V-n Diagram at sea level as well as at
an altitude of 11000m. Detailed analyses/computations
regarding the derivation of the diagrams need to be included.

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Solution:
Assumptions:
1. Gravitational acceleration is a constant at a height of 11000m and below
above sea level.
3
2. The density of air ( ) is also assumed to be 1.225 kg/ m

and 0.3648 kg/ m

at sea level

3. The weight of the aircraft is assumed to be its takeoff weight

in the

analysis, whereby the aircraft has just taken off and insignificant amount
of fuel has been used up.

V-N diagram at sea level for Cessna CJ4

3

At sea level, the density of air is 1.225 kg /m

Finding N values given by BCAR, using

24000
W + 10000

N1 =

2.1+

N2

0.75 ( N 1 )

N3

= 1.0

2.1+

W =W =75419.28 N =16954.9lb

24000
16954.9+10000

=3

= 0.75(3) = 2.25

Finding V values:
Along lines O-A and O-F, the lift coefficient of the aircraft is the maximum and
minimum lift coefficient obtainable respectively.

V A=

2 N1W
2 ( 3 ) (75419.28)
=
=98.27 m/s=353.78 km/h
S C Lmax
1.225 ( 25.5 ) (1.5)

V F=

2 N3 W
2 ( 1 ) (75419.28)
=
=63.43 m/s=228.37 km/h
S C Lmin
1.225 ( 25.5 ) (1.2)

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V C =720 km/h

= 200 m/s

V D =1.2 V C =1.2 ( 720 )=864 km/ h

or 240 m/s

Plotting V-N diagram at sea level:

O-A: Obtained by plotting N against

1
sea level V 2 S C Lmax
2
, from
N=
W

from the equation:

V =0 V A

O-F: Obtained by plotting N against

1
sea level V 2 S C Lmin
2
, from
N=
W

from the equation:

V =0 V F

A-C: Straight horizontal line with N =

N1

= 3, from

F-E: Straight horizontal line with N =

N3

= -1.0, from

C-

V =V A V C
V =V F V C

D 1 : Straight negative sloping line joining points C and

C corresponds to

VC

N 1 , point

and

D1 =
Gradient of line C-

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Aircraft Structure 1

D 1 corresponds to

VD

and

N 1N 2 32.25
=
=0.01875
V D V C 240200

Given the initial conditions of

equation of line C-

D 1 , whereby point

V =V D =240 m/s

and

D 1 can be obtained as follows:

N=N 2 =2.25 , the

N2 .

Equation of line CE-

D1 :

N=0.01875 V +6.75

D2 : Straight positive sloping line joining points E and

of AC

D2 , with the Angle

D1 = Angle of FE D2 . The gradient of line C- D1 will be the same as

that of line E-

D2

V =V C =200 m/s

but with a positive gradient. Given the initial values of

and

N=N 3 =1 , the equation of line E- D 2 is obtained as

follows:
Equation of line E-

D2 :

N=0.01875 V 4.75

Gust V-N diagram at sea level for Cessna CJ4

To find the Gust load factor N, gust magnitude (U) according to FAA specification
altitude between 0-6096m above sea level is used:
At

NB

At

NC

VB,

U=20 m/s

= 1 + N = 1 +

1
1
V S C L U
( 1.225 ) V (25.5 )( 5.6 )(20)
2
2
=1+
=1+0.0232 V
W
75419.28

V C , U=15.25 m/s
= 1 + N = 1 +

1
1
V S C L U
( 1.225 ) V (25.5 )( 5.6 )(15.25)
2
2
=1+
=1+0.0177 V
W
75419.28
At

ND

V D , U=7.5 m/s
= 1 + N = 1 +

1
1
V S C L U
( 1.225 ) V (25.5 )( 5.6 )(7.5)
2
2
=1+
=1+0.00870 V
W
75419.28

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Plotting Gust V-N diagram at sea level:

Point

'

B : Corresponds to the point of intersection between

NB

against

line and line O-A.

Point

C' : Corresponds to the point whereby

Point

D : Corresponds to the point whereby

'

From the graph, we obtain the coordinates of

V =V C =200 m/ s .
V =V D =240 m/ s .

'

'

B , C D

'

as follows:

'

B :V =105 m/ s , n=3.4
C' :V =200 m/s , n=4.55
D ' :V =240 m/s , n=3.1
All points

'

B ,C

'

and

obtain the points

'

G ,F

'

'

are reflected along the line of symmetry N = 1.0 to

and

'

respectively, which can be done graphically.

Alternatively, 3 equations can be plotted which is similar to the equations

N B , N C N D

obtained above, but with a negative gradient this time. The 3

equations are as follows:

N G=10.0232 V
N F =10.0177 V
N E =10.00870V

Point

G' : Corresponds to the point of intersection between

line and line O-A.

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NG

against

Point

F' : Corresponds to the point whereby

V =V C =200 m/ s

on the

NF

E' : Corresponds to the point whereby

V =V D =240 m/ s

on the

NE

line.
Point
line.

From the graph, we obtain the points

'

'

G , F E

'

as follows:

G' :V =105 m/ s , n=1.4

F' :V =200 m/s , n=2.55
E' :V =240 m/s , n=1.1

By joining up all the points

B ' , C ' , D ' , G ' , F' , E'

gust v-n diagram for Cessna Cj4 at sea level.

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and point (0, 1), we obtain the

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V-N diagram at 11000m for Cessna CJ4

3

At 11km, the density of air is 0.3648 kg /m

Finding N values given by BCAR:

W =W =75419.28 N =16954.9lb

Using

24000
W + 10000

N1 =

2.1+

N2

0.75 ( N 1 )

N3

= 1.0

2.1+

24000
16954.9+10000

=3

= 0.75(3) = 2.25

Finding V values:
Along lines O-A and O-F, the lift coefficient of the aircraft is the maximum and
minimum lift coefficient obtainable respectively.

V A=

2 N1W
2 ( 3 ) (75419.28)
=
=180.08 m/ s=648.3 km/h
S C Lmax
0.3648 ( 25.5 ) (1.5)

V F=

2 N3 W
2 ( 1 ) (75419.28)
=
=116.24 m/ s=418.48 km/h
S C Lmin
0.3648 (25.5 ) (1.2)

V C =720 km/h

= 200 m/s

V D =1.2 V C =1.2 ( 720 )=864 km/ h

or 240 m/s

Plotting V-N diagram at 11km altitude:

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Aircraft Structure 1

O-A: Obtained by plotting N against

V 2 S C Lmax
2 11 km
, from
W

from the equation: N =

from the equation: N =

V =0 V A

O-F: Obtained by plotting N against

1
11 km V 2 S C Lmin
2
, from
W

V =0 V F

A-C: Straight horizontal line with N =

N1

= 3, from

F-E: Straight horizontal line with N =

N3

= -1.0, from

C-

V =V F V C

D 1 : Straight negative sloping line joining points C and

C corresponds to

VC

N 1 , point

and

D1 =
Gradient of line C-

D 1 corresponds to

V =V D =240 m/s

and

equation of line C-

D 1 can be obtained as follows:

Equation of line C-

D1 :

VD

and

N2 .

N=N 2 =2.25 , the

N=0.01875 V +6.75

D2 : Straight positive sloping line joining points E and

of AC

D 1 , whereby point

N 1N 2 32.25
=
=0.01875
V D V C 240200

Given the initial conditions of

E-

V =V A V C

D2 , with the Angle

D1 = Angle of FE D2 . The gradient of line C- D1 will be the same as

that of line E-

D2

V =V C =200 m/s

but with a positive gradient. Given the initial values of

and

N=N 3 =1 , the equation of line E- D 2 is obtained as

follows:
Equation of line E-

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D2 :

N=0.01875 V 4.75

Gust V-N diagram at sea level for Cessna CJ4

To find the Gust load factor N, gust magnitude (U) according to FAA specification
altitude between 0-6096m above sea level is used:
At

VB,

NB

U=11.6m/s

= 1 + N = 1 +

1
1
V S C L U
( 0.3648 ) V ( 25.5 )( 5.6 ) (11.6)
2
2
=1+
=1+0.004 V
W
75419.28
At

V C , U=7.6 m/s

NC

= 1 + N = 1 +

1
1
V S C L U
( 0.3648 ) V ( 25.5 )( 5.6 ) (7.6)
2
2
=1+
=1+ 0.00262V
W
75419.28
At

V D , U=3.8 m/s

ND

= 1 + N = 1 +

1
1
V S C L U
( 0.3648 ) V ( 25.5 )( 5.6 ) (3.8)
2
2
=1+
=1+ 0.00131V
W
75419.28

Plotting Gust V-N diagram at sea level:

Point

B ' : Corresponds to the point of intersection between

NB

against

line and line O-A.

Point

C' : Corresponds to the point whereby

V =V C =200 m/ s

on the

NC

D' : Corresponds to the point whereby

V =V D =240 m/ s

on the

ND

line.
Point
line.

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From the graph, we obtain the coordinates of

'

'

B , C D

'

as follows:

B ' :V =126 m/ s , n=1.5

C' :V =200 m/s , n=1.51
D ' :V =240 m/s , n=1.30
All points

'

B ,C

'

and

obtain the points

'

G ,F

'

'

are reflected along the line of symmetry N = 1.0 to

and

'

respectively, which can be done graphically.

Alternatively, 3 equations can be plotted which is similar to the equations

N B , N C N D

obtained above, but with a negative gradient this time. The 3

equations are as follows:

N G=10.004 V
N F =10.00262V
N E =10.00131V
Point

V
Point

'

G : Corresponds to the point of intersection between

NG

against

line and line O-A.

F' : Corresponds to the point whereby

V =V C =200 m/ s

on the

NF

V =V D =240 m/ s

on the

NE

line.
Point

'

E : Corresponds to the point whereby

line.

From the graph, we obtain the points

'

G :V =126 m/s , n=0.5

'

F :V =200 m/s , n=0.49

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G' , F' E'

as follows:

'

E :V =240 m/s , n=0.7

By joining up all the points

B ' , C ' , D ' , G ' , F' , E'

gust v-n diagram for Cessna Cj4 at sea level.

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and point (0, 1), we obtain the

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Summary
As observed from the v-n and gust v-n diagrams for both sea level and 11km
altitude, it can be observed that the area of the gust v-n diagram at sea level is
much larger than that at 11km. This signifies that the aircraft is more vulnerable
and constraint by gust loading at higher altitude whereby the air density is lower
as compared to that at sea level. Correspondingly, the aircraft flight ability is
constraint more by the structural limit of the aircraft at sea level as compared to
at higher altitudes.
At sea level, although the gust limit is between 3.5 to 4.5, it is unsafe to perform
flight manuveurs in that region due to the fact that the structural limit is only 3.
At 11km altitude, although the structural limit of the aircraft is at n=3, it is
unsafe to fly in that region in the presence of gust as the gust limit at that
altitude is 1.5. However at sea level, the aircraft can safely perform its flight at
its n=3 limit even in the presence of gust as the gust load limit is larger than
that.
A similar trend is observed for negative load factor region.

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End of solution

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