14.

Flight Performance- Part 1 (steady level flight) Min and Max Speed
Situation: We now have the ability to compute (thrust), lift, and drag at any flight condition. We
also know the equations of motion which define how the forces balance and that determine the
motion of the aircraft. These come together for flight performance.
• Steady Flight assumption → a = 0
• No climb or roll (γ = φ = 0)
• So, EOM along flight path: 0 = T cos αT - D → αT = 0 assumption Æ T = D
• Perpendicular to flight path: L=W
Definition: Thrust Required (TR): simply is Drag
Definition: Thrust Available (TA): simply T at a particular throttle setting (so, when throttle is at
“full”, we have maximum thrust available, (TA)max

a) Graphical Approach: Thrust Available & Required vs. V∞ and max and min speeds
a. Choose V∞
1 2w
b. L =W = ρ ∞V∞2 SCL Æ CL =
2 ρ ∞V∞2 S
c. Cd = CD ,0 + KCL2

1
d. TR = D = ρ∞V∞2 SCD
2
e. Repeat

Drag Type variation: To maintain steady level flight as V∞ changes, must adjust CL
1 1 1 1
L =W = ρ∞V∞2 SCL D= ρ ∞V∞2 SCD → D = ρ∞V∞2 SCD ,0 + ρ∞V∞2 SKCL2
2 2 2 2
zero lift drag drag due to lift
Implication:
• lower V∞→ higher CL Æincreasing drag-due-to lift
• higher V∞→ lower CL Æincreasing zero-lift drag
1
low speed: Drag due to lift prop. to CLo, rapid decrease as V∞↑, in spite of ρ ∞V∞2 ↑, so TR↓,
2
as V∞↑
high speed: zero lift drag ↑ as square of V∞ thus

Definition: Velocity Instability: On back side of power curve, instantaneous decrement in V∞

causes increase in drag, which tends to slow a/c down further if throttle not touched
Overlay TA variation on graph, and you get estimates of max speed and min speed in steady, level
flight:
• Vmax occurs at the high speed intersection of TA and TR
• Vmin occurs at the low speed intersection of TA and TR

Recall, different engine types will have different TA /PA profiles with V∞

Propeller Aircraft Turbojet Aircraft

Power is more germane TA ρ
TA≈ constant V∞, subsonic; =
PA=ηprP PA=TAV∞ (TA )SL ρo
η P η P
So TA = pr piston TA = pr es
V∞ V∞ Turbofan Aircraft
⎛ 0.1 ⎞ ⎛ ρ ⎞
TA = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟TSL ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ ∞ ⎠ ⎝ SL ⎠
M ρ
Propeller/Recip. Engine Turbojet
Thrust
Thrust

V∞ V∞

Power Power

V∞ V∞
PA ρ TA ρ
and = if un-supercharged =
( PA ) SL ρ SL and (TA ) SL ρ SL
b) Analytical Approach: Thrust Available & Required vs. V∞ and max and min speeds
D D
In steady, level flight: TR = D = W = W
W L
W W
So TR = and min TR = → min drag means max aero efficiency
( L D) ( L D )max
Definition: The Cruise climb-
L/D • Cruise condition: L=W
• Want to always fly at CL
corresponding to (L/D)max
• But, as fuel is burned during cruise, W
decreased, so must change something
to keep L=W
• Avoid changing CL by changing ρ , let
the A/C climb

CL for CL
(L/D)max
We seek an analytical expression for V∞ as a function of aircraft and flight condition terms:
D = f (h,V∞ , W ) = q∞ SCD = q∞ S (CD ,0 + KCL2 )
2W
CL =
ρ∞V∞2 S
1 ⎡ ⎛ W ⎞
2
⎤
D = ρ ∞V∞2 S ⎢CD ,0 + K ⎜ 2 ⎟
⎥
2 ⎢⎣ ⎝ ρ ∞V∞ S ⎠ ⎥⎦
2
1 2 KS ⎛ W ⎞
D= ρV 2 SCD ,0 +
2 ρ ∞V∞2 ⎜⎝ S ⎟⎠
Now,
2
1 2 KS ⎛ W ⎞
TR = q∞ SCD ,0 + ⎜ ⎟
2 q∞ ⎝ S ⎠ , multiply by q∞

2
⎛W ⎞
q SCD ,0 − q∞TR + KS ⎜ ⎟ = 0 , quadratic with 2 roots
2
∞
⎝S ⎠
2 roots
1
⎡ (T W )(W S ) ± (W S ) (T W )2 − 4C K ⎤2
V∞ = ⎢ ⎥
R R D ,0

⎢ ρ∞CD ,0 ⎥
⎣ ⎦

Velocity for (L/D)max: Two roots, but or (TR)min, only one solution, so
2
⎛ TR ⎞ ⎛ TR ⎞
⎜ ⎟ − 4CD ,0 K = 0 sub ⎜ ⎟ = 4CD ,0 K depends only on drag polar
⎝W ⎠ ⎝ W ⎠min
⎛L⎞ 1
→⎜ ⎟ = polar (we prove this from aero in HW problem)
⎝ D ⎠max 4CD ,0 K
and
1 1

⎡ 1 ⎛ TR ⎞ W ⎤ 2 ⎛ 4CD ,0 K W ⎞ 2
V(TR ) =⎢ ⎜ ⎟ ⎥ sub V(TR )min = ⎜ ⎟ alt w/s Polar
min
⎣⎢ ρ∞CD ,0 ⎝ W ⎠min S ⎦⎥ ⎜ ρ∞CD ,0 S ⎟
⎝ ⎠
1
⎛ 2 K W⎞ 2
V(TR ) = V(l D ) =⎜ ⎟
⎜ ρ∞ CD ,0 S ⎟⎠
⎝
min max

Velocity for Vmax:

Take the high speed root (“+” sign): For turbojet & low BPR TA∼constant with V∞
 1
⎧ ⎫2
( ( ) ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2
⎪ TA W W S + W S ⎡
⎣ TA W ⎤
⎦ − 4C D ,0 K ⎪
=⎨
max max
Vmax ⎬
⎪ ρ∞CD ,0 ⎪
⎩ ⎭
1. Vmax ↑ as (TA/W) ↑,
2. Vmax ↑ as (W/S) ↑
3. Vmax ↓ as CD,0 and/or K ↑
4. Vmax ↓ as alt. ↑

Velocity for Vmax:

Low speed intersection (“-“ sign) OR stall

c) Power Required vs. Power Available

( )( )
Power Req - Power = force i vel = time rate of doing work
PR=TRV∞ since TR, V∞ are aligned
L W
PR = TRV∞ = V∞ = V
( L D) ( CL CD ) ∞
1
L =W = ρ∞V∞2 SCL
2
2W
V∞ =
ρ∞ SCL
W 2W 2W 3CD2
PR = =
( CL CD ) ρ∞ SCL ρ∞ SCL3
3

C32
⎛C ⎞ 32
1 ⎛ 3 ⎞4 1
( PR )min → L
is max Also: ⎜ ⎟
L
= ⎜
⎜ 32 ⎟ ⎟
and CD ,0 = KCL2
CD ⎝ CD ⎠max 4 ⎝ KCD ,0 ⎠ 3
Velocity for Vmax:
Propeller A/C – PA is much more relevant that T why?
PA=ηprP PA∼constant with V∞
P ρ
• = unsuperchged
Po ρ o

• PA∼constant with alt superchged!

Turboprop PA=ηprPES PA∼constant with V∞
Turbojet/fan PA=TAV∞
• TA∼constant with V∞→PA∝V∞ subsonic
 TA
• = 1 + 1.18 ( M ∞ − 1) → PA for nonlinear fan of V∞ super
(TA )m=1
PA ρ
• =
( PA )SL ρo
T fans
TA
• = AM ∞− n →PA nonlinear fan of V∞ but in cruise range PA∝V∞
( A )v = 0
T
n
TA ⎡ρ⎤
• =⎢ ⎥
(TA )SL ⎣ ρo ⎦
m
PA ⎡ρ⎤
• =⎢ ⎥
( PA )SL ⎣ ρo ⎦
Max Velocity

Including drag rise will lower Vmax → real world