Range is the total distance traveled on a full tank of fuel, while endurance is the total time in the air on a full tank. Range and endurance calculations depend on factors like specific fuel consumption, weight, engine power, lift-to-drag ratio, and true airspeed. The Breguet range equation approximates range as a function of these variables, assuming constant conditions. Similarly, the Breguet endurance equation approximates endurance. Jet aircraft range and endurance equations are derived in a similar manner but use thrust specific fuel consumption. Maximum range and endurance occur at different lift-to-drag ratios and true airspeeds depending on whether maximizing range or endurance.
Range is the total distance traveled on a full tank of fuel, while endurance is the total time in the air on a full tank. Range and endurance calculations depend on factors like specific fuel consumption, weight, engine power, lift-to-drag ratio, and true airspeed. The Breguet range equation approximates range as a function of these variables, assuming constant conditions. Similarly, the Breguet endurance equation approximates endurance. Jet aircraft range and endurance equations are derived in a similar manner but use thrust specific fuel consumption. Maximum range and endurance occur at different lift-to-drag ratios and true airspeeds depending on whether maximizing range or endurance.
Range is the total distance traveled on a full tank of fuel, while endurance is the total time in the air on a full tank. Range and endurance calculations depend on factors like specific fuel consumption, weight, engine power, lift-to-drag ratio, and true airspeed. The Breguet range equation approximates range as a function of these variables, assuming constant conditions. Similarly, the Breguet endurance equation approximates endurance. Jet aircraft range and endurance equations are derived in a similar manner but use thrust specific fuel consumption. Maximum range and endurance occur at different lift-to-drag ratios and true airspeeds depending on whether maximizing range or endurance.
Range is the total distance traveled on a full tank of fuel, while endurance is the total time in the air on a full tank. Range and endurance calculations depend on factors like specific fuel consumption, weight, engine power, lift-to-drag ratio, and true airspeed. The Breguet range equation approximates range as a function of these variables, assuming constant conditions. Similarly, the Breguet endurance equation approximates endurance. Jet aircraft range and endurance equations are derived in a similar manner but use thrust specific fuel consumption. Maximum range and endurance occur at different lift-to-drag ratios and true airspeeds depending on whether maximizing range or endurance.
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1/ 10
AE 429 - Aircraft Performance and Flight Mechanics
Range and Endurance
Range and Endurance
Definitions
Range Total ground distance traversed on a full tank of fuel -Anderson book Distance an airplane can fly on a given amount of fuel -alternative definition
Endurance Total time an airplane stays in the air on a full tank of fuel -- Anderson book Time an airplane can fly on a given amount of fuel -alternative definition
Specific fuel consumption
Weight of fuel consumed per unit power per unit time
Specific fuel consumption (SFC or c) Weight (W) lbs Time (t) secs or hrs Engine power (P) hp Airplane gross weight (W 0) lbs includes fuel and payload
LBS FUEL BHP HR
Airplane empty weight (W 1) lbs
weight of airplane without fuel
Endurance calculation dW f Fuel flow rate w f = - c P (lbs fuel/unit time) =
W = W1 + W f dt
Differential fuel burned dW f = dW = c Pdt Solving for time and integrating
c=
Wf P
E=
E 0
dt =
W1 W0
dW f cP
W0 W1
dW cP
Range and Endurance
Propeller-Driven Airplane
Generalized Range Equation
Multiply V by covered
dt =
dW cP
to get differential air distance
dW cP
ds = Vdt = V
The total distance covered during a range flight is the integral of this expression R= R 0
ds =
W0
W1 VdW
cP
W1
W0 VdW
cP
Range and Endurance
Propeller-Driven Airplane Breguet Range Equation
In level flight cruise (no acceleration), the throttle is set to maintain constant airspeed Substituting into the general range equation for propeller airplanes W V dW W V dW W dW = 0 = 0 R= 0 W1 W1 cDV W1 cD cP PA = PR = DV P DV Shaft HP = P = A =
Multiplying by W / W and using L= W for equilibrium cruise flight (level and unaccelerated) R= W0 W dW W1 c W
W0 L dW W1 c D W
Range and Endurance
Propeller-Driven Airplane Breguet Range Equation (continued) Assume h is constant throughout flight L/D is constant throughout flight c is constant throughout flight Then, we can integrate
R=
L c D
W0 W1
dW W
R=
L c D
ln
W0 W1
Because of the assumptions listed, the Breguet approximation is valid only for small dW
Angle of attack changes over a weight change as large as the fuel load If weight changes significantly, L/D changes
Range and Endurance
Propeller-Driven Airplane Breguet Endurance Equation E= Since and W0 W1
Using the same assumptions (L = W and PA = PR = DV )
dW = cP
W0 W1
dW
c DV
W0 W1
L dW c DV W
L =W =
1 V2 SCL , V = 2
2W
SCL
E=
W0 W1
CL SCL dW c CD 2 W 3/ 2 1 W1 1 W0
If we assume CL , CD , , c, and are all constant
E=
CL3/ 2 c CD
2 S
in using this equation, E must be in seconds and c must be in ft-1
Importance of the Ratios
C L C D ,C L
3/ 2
CD , C1/ 2 CD L
CL CD 3 CL / 2 CD
Max Range for reciprocating engine/propeller airplanes
max
max
Max Endurance for reciprocating engine/propeller
Range and Endurance
Jet-powered airplane General endurance equation
Specific fuel consumption is based on thrust, not power output lbs of fuel consumed TSFC ct lb of thrust produced sec Again, let dW be the differential change in aircraft weight as fuel is burned in dt dW dW = ctTAdt dt = Wf ctTA ct = TA
Integrating:
E=
E 0
dt =
W1 dW W0 ctTA
W0 dW W1 ctTA
Recalling that L = W and TA = TR = D W 1 L dW E= 0 W1 ct D W Assuming constant ct and L/D The Breguet approximation is: 1 L W0 E ln ct D W1
Range and Endurance
Jet-powered airplane To maximize endurance
Reduce thrust specific fuel consumption, TSFC Use a turbofan engine Fly at an altitude where the engine is efficient (high, but not too high) increase fuel fraction, W f/ W 0 , to increase W 0/ W 1 Carry less payload Use drop tanks maintain L/Dmax Loiter at velocity for L/Dmax (where CD,0 = CDi) Cruise climb Notice that a jet airplane has best endurance at this velocity for L/Dmax, while a propeller-driven airplane gets best range at this true airspeed
Range and Endurance
Jet-powered airplane general range equation
going back to the differential time expression and multiplying by V
V dW ds = Vdt = ctTA
of course, ds is the differential distance traveled by the jet during time dt s = 0 when w = w0 s = R when w = w1 R W V dW integrating to get range R = ds = 1 0 W0 ctTA
for steady, unaccelerated level flight: TA = TR = L
W0 V CL dW W1 ct CD W
W D
R=
Range and Endurance
Jet-powered airplane general range equation (continued) since , R becomes 2W V = SCL Breguet approximation if we assume constant ct, CL, CD, and
R=
W0 W1
2 1 CL dW S ct CD W
R=2
2 1 CL S ct CD
W0 W1
) CL1/ 2 CD
for maximum range reduce TSFC, ct fly at low density (high altitude) use a true airspeed to maximize
Range and Endurance
Jet-powered airplane Cruise for Max range
Fly at CL CD
max
The true airSpeed for This optimum Speed gives CD,0 = 3Cdi
Importance of the Ratios
CL CD C1/ 2 L CD
C L C D ,C L
3/ 2
CD , C1/ 2 CD L
Max Endurance for jet-propelled airplanes
max
Max Range for jet-propelled airplanes
max
Range and Endurance
Summary Relationship of CD,0 and CDi
At L/Dmax Using
CD = CD ,0 +
2 CL eAR
CL = CD
CL CD ,0 +
2 CL eAR
Differentiating with respect to CL and setting to zero
d CL CD dCL = CD ,0 + 2 CL CL CL 2 eAR eAR
CD ,0 + 2 CL
eAR
2 CL
=0
CD ,0 +
eAR
2 CL
eAR
=0
CD ,0 = CL CD max
2 CL eAR
CD ,0 = CD ,i
FOR
Range and Endurance
Summary Relationship of CD,0 and CDi
Similar developments show:
CD ,0 = 3CD ,i
FOR
CL CD
max
Applies to maximum range for a jet airplane
3CD ,0 = CD ,i
FOR
3 CL CD
max
Applies to maximum endurance for a propeller-driven airplane
