AERO2562 – Aircraft and Air

Transportation
Assessment 3: Aircraft Performance

School of Engineering
 Introduction
Please answer each question featured. Technical questions can be hand written in a neat and legible
format and scanned into PDF format. Please compile a SINGLE pdf file for final submission.
Multiple files will not be accepted. For any queries please contact the course coordinator
raj.ladani@rmit.edu.au.

Each question has a mark allocation specific to the question.

Submission details
• Maximum Marks = 100
• Submission through Canvas
• Due at 11:59 pm on Friday Week 12
• Refer to Canvas page for the marking rubric for this assignment.

Submitted file must be a single pdf containing handwritten or typed response for calculation based
questions 1 to 7. Multiple documents will not be accepted.

For questions that require calculation, the solutions can be handwritten or through the equation
editor in word. If you choose to submit handwritten solution for calculations then you must scan
and combine all solutions and typed responses into a single .pdf file. This could be achieved by,
writing your response on blank paper, or hand writing onto blank pages of a digital .pdf file by using
a stylus. It is recommended to use a scanner or a phone-based app such as Office Lens to
generate a suitable pdf from physically handwritten pages.

Author: Raj Ladani

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 Questions

Question 1 (10 marks)

Consider an airplane modelled after the twin-engine Beechcraft Queen Air executive transport. The
airplane has the following characteristics: mass is 3,896 kg; wing area is 27.3 m2; aspect ratio is 7.5; span
efficiency factor is 0.9; and zero-lift drag coefficient CD,0 is 0.03. Each engine produces 10,500 N static
thrust at sea level.

1.a. Calculate the thrust required to fly at a velocity of 201 m/s at standard sea level. Assume the value
of ρ∞ = 1.225 kg/m3 at standard sea level. (Round the final answer to the nearest whole number.)

1.b. Calculate the thrust required to fly with a velocity of 187 m/s at an altitude of 4,500 m. Assume the
value of ρ∞ = 0.777 kg/m3at an altitude of 4,500 m. (Round the final answer to the nearest whole number.)

1.c Calculate and graph the maximum velocity of the Beechcraft Queen Air with respect to altitude.
Construct the graph between sea level and a maximum altitude of 6,000 m.

Question 2 (5 marks)

An airplane with a mass of 3,896 kg is flying at standard sea level with a velocity of 201 m/s. At this
velocity, the L/D ratio is a maximum. The wing area is 27.3 m2; aspect ratio is 7.5; span efficiency factor
is 0.9. Calculate the total drag on the airplane. Assume the value of ρ∞ = 1.225 kg/m3 at standard sea
level. (Round the final answer to one decimal place.)

Question 3 (20 marks)

Consider an airplane modelled after the Fairchild Republic A-10, a twin-jet attack aircraft. The airplane
has the following characteristics: wing area = 47 m2; aspect ratio = 6.5; span efficiency factor = 0.87;
mass = 10,500 kg; and zero-lift drag coefficient, CD,0 = 0.032. The airplane is equipped with two jet
engines, each with 40,298 N of static thrust at sea level. Assume the velocity of the airplane is 160 m/s.

3.a. Calculate the power required at sea level. (Round the final answer to the nearest whole number.
Answer this part of the question before moving on to the next part.)

3.b. Calculate the maximum velocity at sea level. (Round the final answer to the nearest whole number.
Answer this part of the question before moving on to the next part.)

3.c. Calculate the velocity, Valt, power, Palt, required at 5,000 m altitude. Assume ρ at 5,000 m altitude =
0.7364 kg/m3. (Round the final answers to the nearest whole number. Answer this part of the question
before moving on to the next part.)

3.d. Calculate the maximum velocity at 5,000 m altitude. Assume ρ at 5,000 m altitude = 0.7364
kg/m3. (Round the final answer to the nearest whole number.)

3.e. Calculate the maximum rate of climb at sea level and at an altitude of 5,000 m. (Round the final
answers to the nearest whole number.)

Author: Raj Ladani

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Question 4 (5 marks)
Consider an aircraft with a zero-lift drag coefficient, CD,0 = 0.032, an aspect ratio of 9.39, and a span
efficiency factor of 0.9. If the aircraft is in flight at 10,000 m when both engines fail. How far can it glide in
terms of distance measured along the ground?

Question 5 (10 marks)

The wing of the Fairchild Republic A-10A twin-jet close-support airplane is approximately rectangular
with a wingspan (the length perpendicular to the flow direction) of 17.5 m and a chord (the length
parallel to the flow direction) of 3 m. The airplane is flying at standard sea level with a velocity of 200
m/s. Assume the wing is approximated by a flat plate and incompressible flow. If the viscosity of air is
1.789 x 10-5 kg/(m)(s), calculate the skin friction drag for the wing for

(i) Laminar flow condition.

(ii) Turbulent flow condition.

Question 6 (40 marks)

You are assigned an aircraft based on the last two digit of your student number.
(i) If this number is between 01 to 20 then your aircraft is B737-800 or
(ii) If this number is between 11 to 50 then your aircraft is A330-200 or
(iii) If this number is between 51 to 100 then your aircraft is B777-200.
For example, for student number s3213856, since 56 is between 51 and 100 their aircraft will be B777-
200.

The performance specifications of your aircraft are outlined in the Table. Your aircraft is intended to fly
on the mission you have selected in the most fuel efficient manner possible to achieve maximum range
and endurance. Assume that the mission range is flown in cruise phase only by ignoring the distance
flown during the climb and decent phase of the flight.

6.a What aircraft have you been assigned?

6.b From the internet search typical route flown by your aircraft and select a mission between a city pair.
What is the flight range and endurance (i.e. flight duration) for your selected mission. What is a typical
airfare charged for this flight. In your response, include a copy of the actual web-page (or web-pages)
that shows the departure and destination airports, the aircraft used, the flight time, and the lowest fare
charged.

6.c What is the relationship between lift coefficient and drag coefficient for maximum range and
endurance condition?

6.d If at take-off, the fuel load must be 70% of the maximum allowable fuel load, and the ‘payload’ is 80%
of the maximum payload (i.e. for a ‘load factor’ of 80%). What is the fuel burned for your flight mission?

6.e Aircrafts operate with fuel designated ‘Jet A1’. Using the fuel density, calculate the volume of the fuel
burned during the flight mission.

6.f Determine the cost of the fuel used for the flight mission. You need to conduct your own research to
determine a ‘realistic’ price per litre or gallon of fuel.

6.g Assuming that fuel cost represents 30% of the Direct Operating Cost (DOC) of the aircraft, calculate
the DOC for the flight mission. Hence, determine the cost per passenger on the basis of DOC by assuming
an average passenger weight of 81.65 kg and 25 kg for baggage.

Author: Raj Ladani

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6.h Repeat parts 6.d to 6.g for payload (i.e. load factor) which is 30%, 40%, 50%, 60% and 70% of the
maximum payload. Tabulate and graph the cost per passenger on the basis of DOC as a function of load
factor. For all load factors, at take-off, the fuel load must be assumed to be 70% of the maximum allowable
fuel load.

6.i Compare the cost per passenger you have calculated with the commercially-quoted fares from part
6.b.

6.j Calculate the Take-off Field Length (TOFL) for maximum take-off weight condition. Compare this
length with the length of runways at the departure and destination airports you have chosen.

Boeing Airbus Boeing

Data Units 737-800 330-200 777-200
Maximum take-off weight kg 70535 230000 242670
Maximum payload kg 14690 36400 54635
Operational empty weight kg 41145 120200 135875
Design fuel load (max allowable) kg 21540 85765 71170
CLmax - 2.15 2.74 2.53
Maximum static thrust N 214000 620000 685000
Maximum seats (single class) - 189 380 440
Wing area, S m2 124.6 363.1 427.8
Wing span, b m2 34.3 58 60.9
Aspect Ratio, AR - 9.44 9.39 8.67
Long-rang cruise speed m/s 232.5 244.9 244.9
Long-rang cruise altitude m 11887 11887 11887
TSFC, ct N/N-hr 0.545 0.545 0.545
Design Range km 5365 6370 8927
Fuel density kg/m3 771 771 771
Aircraft Cdo - 0.019 0.021 0.021

Question 7 (10 marks)

For your aircraft from Questions 6, if the maximum positive and negative limit load factors are 4 and -2
respectively, draw the V-n (manoeuvre) diagram. Assume the dive speed for your transport category
aircraft to be 15% higher than the cruise speed.

Author: Raj Ladani

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