Aircraft Range

Aircraft Performance and Design

Chapter 5 Part J

INTRODUCTION
We discussed Steady and level flight
Then steady climbing flight
We come back to steady level flight to
discuss two more very important
topics of A/C performance

Range
Endurance

Range
Distance along the ground covered in
one load of fuel is the range
Consider the following terminologies

W0 --gross weight of the airplane

W f --weight of the fuel
W1 --weight of the airplane with no fuel

Range

At any instant during the flight, the weight of

the airplane (W) is

W W1 W f

{5.142}

Indeed the time rate of change of weight is

.
dW f
dW
0
W f
dt
dt

{5.143}

Both dW/dt and dWf/dt are negative

numbers

Range
Range is intimately connected with
engine performance through the SFC
SFC for PD/reciprocating engine

Wf

SFC for JPA

SFC combined

ct

P
.

ct

[5.144]

Wf

[5.145]

T
cV
pr

[3.43]

Range
Consider steady level flight
Assuming stationary atmosphere
A general range relation can be found:

ds
dt
ds V dt

A modified equation 5.145 could be

ct
dt

[5.146]

dW f / dt
T
dW f
ctT

[5.147]

Range

Substitute equation 5.147 in 5.146

ds

V
dW f
ctT

[5.148]

From equation 5.142,

dW f dW

Equation 5.148 becomes

ds

V
V W dW
dW
ctT
ct T W

[5.149]

Range

In steady, level flight L=W, T=D, hence

equation 5.149 becomes
V L dW
ds
ct D W

Now the range of the airplane is

obtained by integrating 5.150
R

W1

V L dW
c D W
W0 t

R ds
0

[5.150]

[5.151]

Range

The restrictions are steady level flight and

no wind
Clearly range depends on L/D, SFC,
velocity and initial amount of fuel
But these parameters are not independent
of each other
For a given flight if the variations of these
parameters are known throughout the flight;
the equation can be numerically integrated
to exactly calculate the range

Range

For preliminary analysis, we assume flight

at constant velocity, c, and L/D. Then
W

Or

V L 1 dW
R
ct D W0 W
R

10

V L W0
ln
ct D W1

[5.151]

[5.152]

This equation is called the Breguet range

equation

Range
L/D is a function of velocity in this
case
To obtain maximum range, we need to
fly at a condition where the product of
velocity and L/D is maximum
This condition is different for PDAs
and JPAs

11

Maximum Range for JPA

Range equation for JPA is already

given by equation 5.152 in the form of
thrust specific fuel consumption
R

12

V L W0
ln
ct D W1

[5.152]

Here maximum range is dictated by

the product of velocity and L/D. Let us
examine the product

Maximum Range for JPA

The product is

L
2W C L
2W C L1/ 2
V

D
SC L C D
S CD

[5.154]

Thus the product is maximum when

C
the aircraft is flying at maximum C
To get a more explicit expression let
us put equation 5.154 into 5.151

1/ 2
L
D

V L 1 dW
R
ct D W0 W
13

[5.151]

Maximum Range for JPA

W0

We get

1
R
c
W1 t

2W C L1/ 2 dW
S CD W

[5.155]

C L1/ 2
Assuming c t , , and
constant, equation 5.155 can be written as
CD
R

1
ct

2
R
ct
14

[5.151]

1 / 2 W0
L

2 C
S CD

dW
W W 1/ 2
1

2 C L1/ 2 1/ 2
W0 W11/ 2
S CD

or

[5.156]

Maximum Range for JPA

2
R
ct

2 C L1/ 2 1/ 2

W0 W11/ 2
S CD

Equation 5.156 is a simplified range

equation for a jet-propelled airplane.
From this equation we see that for
maximum range
1/ 2
Fly at maximum C L / C D
Have the lowest possible thrust SFC
Fly at high altitude i.e. low density
Carry a lot of fuel

15

Maximum Range for JPA

What happens when density goes to
zero? Obviously from the equation
range goes to infinity
But is that possible? Isn't your altitude
limited by absolute ceiling?
So the deciding factor is C / C
Therefore maximum range for JPA is
obtained at a flight velocity for max C / C

1/ 2
L

1/ 2
L

16

Maximum Range for JPA

Which means
C D , 0 3KC L2

V C1 / 2 / C max
L
D

CD

1/ 2
L

17

3K W
C D , 0 S

1
4 3KC D3 , 0

1/ 4

1/ 2

18

NEXT 4 SLIDES ARE OPTINAL

Maximum Range for

PD/reciprocating engine

Range equation should be expressed

in terms of power that means using c
as SFC
.

19

Wf
P

V L W0
ln
ct D W1

[5.144]

ct

cV
pr

[3.43]

[5.152]

Use equation 3.43 into equation 5.152

Maximum Range for

PD/reciprocating engine

We get

V L W0 pr
L W
R
ln

V ln 0
ct D W1 cV
D W1

pr L W0
R
ln
c D W1

20

[5.153]

This is the historical Breguet range

equation, and it dates back to before
1920

Maximum Range for

PD/reciprocating engine
There is no velocity free stream in the
equation, L/D is the deciding factor
Therefore for maximum range:

Fly

at max L/D
Have highest possible propeller
efficiency
Have lowest possible SFC
Carry a lot of fuel
21

Maximum Range for

PD/reciprocating engine

Therefore theoretical maximum range

is obtained by flying at velocity at
which L/D is maximum, that is
C D , 0 KC L2
V L / D max

22

max

K W
C D , 0 S
1
4C D , 0 K

1/ 2

EXAMPLE 5.19

23

Chapter 5 - PART A

11/01/15

EXAMPLE 5.19

24

Chapter 5 - PART A

11/01/15

Aircraft Endurance
Aircraft Performance and
Design
Chapter 5 Part K

25

Aircraft Endurance
Endurance: It is amount of time that
an airplane can stay in air on one load
of fuel
Long endurance is Requirement of
surveillance airplanes

26

Aircraft Endurance

From equation 5.145

dW f
dt
or

ctT

dt

ctT

[5.164]

Since T=D, L=W in steady level flight

dt

27

dW f

dW f
ct D

L 1 dW f
D ct W

[5.165]

Aircraft Endurance

Integrating, we get a general equation for

endurance
W0
1 L dW f
1 L dW f
E

c
D
W
c D W
W0 t
W1 t
W1

[5.166]

If the detailed variations of SFC, L/D, and W are

known throughout the flight, equation 5.166 can be
numerically integrated to obtain an exact result for
the endurance
For preliminary flight performance
W

1 L 0 dW f
E
ct D W1 W
or
E
28

1 L W0
ln
ct D W1

[5.167]

Aircraft Endurance for JPAs

Equation 5.167 is already expressed in terms of

thrust SPC, and it gives endurance for JPA
directly
E

1 L W0
ln
ct D W1
c

For Maximum endurance for a JPA

29

Fly at maximum L/D

Have the lowest possible thrust SFC
Carry a lot of fuel

[5.167]

30

NEXT 3 SLIDES ARE OPTIONAL

Aircraft Endurance for PDAs

We know that
ct

cV
pr

[3.43]

Substituting in integral equation 5.166, we have

pr C L dW f
E
cV C D W
W1
W0

Using value of velocity, we have

pr
E
c
W1
W0

SC L C L dW f
2W C D W

pr
E
c
W1

S C L3 / 2 dW f
2W C D W 3 / 2

or
W0

31

[5.168]

Aircraft Endurance for PDAs

By making the assumption of constants, we have

pr
C L3 / 2 1/ 2

E
2 S
W1 W01/ 2
c
CD

Maximum endurance for a PDA corresponds to

C L3 / 2

Fly at maximum C
Have the lowest possible SFC
Carry a lot of fuel
Fly at sea level where density is the largest value
D

32

[5.169]

Summary

33

EXAMPLE 5.20

34

Chapter 5 - PART A

11/01/15