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Thrust Data For Performance Calculation
Thrust Data For Performance Calculation
Thrust Data For Performance Calculation
Engine data, for several sample engines, are given for J-60, J52, JT9D-
3, JT8D-9, TF-30, TFE731-2, GE F404-400, FJ-44, Allison T-56 turbo-
prop, and AVCO Lycoming I0-540 reciprocating engines. Although all
these engines are somewhat dated and all have been superceded to give
higher thrust and better fuel consumption, they do represent typical
performance trends. As is clearly seen, the thrust and specific fuel
consumption (SFC) curves vary widely with speed and altitude. Thus,
there are no general-duty expressions available that would permit car-
rying out easy and simple performance calculations. However, several
approximate expressions, shown below, have been used with some en-
gineering success. As a first-order rough approximation, engine thrust
can be scaled linearly (for similar engines) and the fuel consumption
can be decreased by at least 5 percent.
The process consists of curve-fitting the thrust equation as a function
of altitude, velocity, or both. Each engine may require its own special
curve-fitting expression and may have to be accomplished in a piece-
wise fashion over the velocity and/or altitude range.
Jet Engines
For subsonic flight the simplest correlation is
267
Aircraft Performance. Maido Saarlas
© 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-470-04416-2
268 THRUST DATA FOR PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS
T ⫽ Tref (D.1)
where Tref may be taken as To, the sea level thrust value.
A somewhat improved expression is
T ⫽ Tref n (D.2)
T
⫽ n h ⬍ 36,089 ft
To
⫽ h ⬎ 36,089 ft
T
⫽ (A ⫹ BV 2) (D.3)
To
The advantage of Eq. D.3 lies in taking into account the realistic
thrust variation with velocity. Usually this is not very significant at
higher altitudes and velocities but may be 10 percent or more during
270 THRUST DATA FOR PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS
the take-off portion of flight (see TF-30 and JT9D data). At higher
speeds, another correlation that has been used is
T
⫽ (1 ⫹ cM) (D.4)
To
TSFC
⫽ 1 ⫹ .5M (D.5)
TSFCref
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Reciprocating Engines
Reciprocating engines admit more generalizations:
BHP
⫽ 1.132 ⫺ .132 (D.6)
BHPo
BHP
⫽ .765, h ⬍ 36,089 ft
BHPo
⫽ 1.331, h ⬎ 36,089 ft (D.7)
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