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Cruise (Ii) : Performance JAR 25
Cruise (Ii) : Performance JAR 25
7. CRUISE (II)
CRUISE (II)
DOC = Cc + CF · ΔF + CT · ΔT
Costs
C
DO
Time r
e lat e d
Fuel
Fixed
M
MMRC MECON MMO
ECONOMIC MACH NUMBER
For a given altitude, MECON decreases if weight decreases (slightly).
For a given weight, MECON increases if altitude increases.
MECON also depends on the time and fuel cost ratio. This ratio is known
as COST INDEX (CI):
Cost of time CT
CI = =
Cost of fuel CF
ECONOMIC MACH NUMBER
If fuel price increases, it becomes interesting to decrease fuel
consumption. CI will decrease, and also MECON (so as to be closer to
MMRC).
CI = CIMAX: Flight time costs are very high and the fuel price is low, so
in order to have a trip with the minimum flight time, M ECON = MMO.
ECONOMIC MACH NUMBER
As it can be seen on the graph below, MECON is practically constant (it
decreases just a little bit) as weight decreases.
ECONOMIC MACH NUMBER
ECONOMIC MACH NUMBER
If an FMS is fitted, the pilot will introduce the cost index through the
MCDU (INIT PAGE), so the FMC is able to calculate optimum profiles.
Otherwise the pilot will use appropriate charts to find MECON.
CONSTANT MACH NUMBER CRUISE
Since MECON has a very little variation as weight decreases due to fuel
burn-off, the cruise phase of a standard airline flight is performed at a
constant Mach number, thus simplifying operation.
This type of flight is only useful during holdings, and maybe during
some maritime surveillance missions, etc.
Gradient penalty