Climb Performance and Speed

Climb performance of airplanes is of great importance in assuring:

1) rapid change to cruise or combat altitude (airliners and fighters)
2) Rapid maneuvering away from obstacles (agricultural and patrol airplanes)
3) Reasonable ability to climb out after engine failure (safety)

Equations of Motion

Normal to Flight Path

F 0
L  W cos   T sin( w  T )  C.F .  0
W .
where C. F . is the centrifuga l force ( V  ) . In normal ( straight line) c lim bing flight ,
g
.
sin ce   0 the centrifuga l force is zero.

Assu min g small c lim b angles (  150 ) and ( w  T )  0,

L  W cos   T sin( w  T )  C.F .  0
L W  0
L W

Along the Flight Path

F 0
W dV
T cos( w  T )  W sin   D  0
g dt
W dV
W sin   T  D 
g dt
T  D 1 dV
sin   
W g dt
Since the rate of c lim b , R.C. is equal to the vertical component of the flight speed :
dh
R.C.   V sin 
dt
R.C.
sin  
V
1
Equating for sin  :
R.C. T  D 1 dV
 
V W g dt
 R.C. T  D 1 dV 
 V  W  g dt  V
 
R.C. 
T  D V  V dV dh
W g dt dh
R.C. 
T  D V  V dV dh
W g dh dt
R.C. 
T  D V  V dV R.C.
W g dh
R.C. 
V dV
R.C. 
T  D V
g dh W
 V dV  T  D V
R.C.1   
 g dh  W

T  D V
R.C.  W
V dV
1
g dh
Where :
V dV
 acceleration factor
g dh
When the c lim b is made at a cos tan t true airspeed , dV / dh  0. Therefore :

R.C. 
T  D V
W
As written in present form R.C. 
T  D V is applicable to a jetplane. Since a propeller  driven airplane
W
is rated in terms of power , instead of thrust , R.C. 
T  D V can be rewritten for propeller  driven
W
airplane as :

TV  DV
R.C. 
W
PAV  P REQD
R.C. 
W

CLIMB PERFORMANCE AND SPEED OF PROPELLER DRIVEN AIRPLANE

POWER REQUIRED

Power required for flight at constant speed is given by:

PREQD  DV

For a small γ:

CD
TREQD  D  W
CL
and
W  2  1 
V     
S    C L 

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Therefore:
 
 
W  C D   W  2  1  W  W  2  C D  W  W  2   1 
2
THPREQD                 
550  C L   S    C L  550  S    C L 3  550  S      C L3  
  2  
  C D  
Below the drag-divergence Mach number, it can be assumed that the CL and CD at the same angle of
attack will remain constant.

At sea level:
CD
TREQD 0  W0
CL
W  2  1 
V0   0   
 S   0  C L 

Where W0 should be interpreted as a reference weight, and not as the weight at sea level!

 
 
W0  C D   W0  2  1  W0  W0  2  C D 
2
W0  W0  2   1 
THPREQD0            3     
550  C L   S   0  C L  550  S   0  C L  550  S   0    C L3  
  2  
  C D  

Equating C D / C L :
W 
TREQD  TREQD0  
 W0 
1
Equating :
CL
 W  1 
V  V0   
 0   
W
3/ 2
Equating C D / C L :
3
W  1
THPREQD  THPREQD0    
 W0    
Where :


0
It is seen that other than C L  C D behavior , the primary effects on THP REQD are altitude (through  )
and weight (W ) .

Activity No. 7
Title: Power Required at Sea Level and at Altitudes

Problem: A single-engine (name of your aircraft) has the following characteristics:

W  lb
S ft 2
C Lmax 
2
C D  ____  _____ C L (clean airplane )

Compute the power required at sea level, 5,000 ft, 10,000 ft, 15,000 ft, and 20,000 ft altitudes.

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