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Flight Mechanics Summary
Flight Mechanics Summary
Flight Mechanics Summary
➢ In the isothermal regions of the standard atmosphere, the pressure and density
variations are given by
➢ In the gradient regions of the standard atmosphere, the pressure and density
variations are given by
➢ The pressure altitude is that altitude in the standard atmosphere which corresponds
to the actual ambient pressure encountered in. flight or laboratory experiments. For
example, if the ambient pressure of a flow, no matter where it is or what it is doing, is
393.12 𝑙𝑏/𝑓𝑡 2 , the flow is said to correspond to a pressure altitude of 40,000 ft (see
Appendix B). The same idea can be used to define density and temperature altitudes.
Above Momentum equation for incompressible flow is also called as Bernoulli’s equation.
From this relation, we observe that (1) for a subsonic flow, the velocity increases in a convergent
duct and decreases in a divergent duct, (2) for a supersonic flow, the velocity increases in a divergent
duct and decreases in a convergent duct, and (3) the flow is sonic only at the minimum area.
➢ Viscous effects create a boundary layer along a solid surface in a flow. In this
boundary layer, the flow moves slowly and the velocity goes to zero right at the surface. The
shear stress at the wall is given by
The shear stress is larger for a turbulent boundary layer than for a laminar boundary layer.
And
where 𝛿 is the boundary layer thickness, 𝐶𝑓 is the total skin friction drag coefficient, and Re is the
Reynolds number;
Here, x is the running length along the plate, and L is the total length of the plate.
➢ For a turbulent boundary layer on a fiat plate,
➢ Any real flow along a surface first starts out as laminar but then changes into a
turbulent flow. The point where this transition effectively occurs (in reality, transition occurs
over a finite length) is designated 𝑥𝑐𝑟 · In turn, the critical Reynolds number for transition is
defined as
Where,
𝐷 = total drag on the airfoil
𝐷𝑓 = skin friction drag
𝐷𝑝 = pressure drag due to flow separation
𝐷𝑤 = wave drag (present only at transonic and supersonic speeds; zero for subsonic speeds
below the drag-divergence Mach number)
Where,
𝑐𝑑 = total drag coefficient
𝑐𝑑,𝑓 = skin friction drag coefficient
𝑐𝑑,𝑝 = pressure drag coefficient
𝑐𝑑,𝑤 = wave drag coefficient
The sum 𝑐𝑑,𝑓 + 𝑐𝑑,𝑝 is called the profile drag coefficient; this is the quantity that is given
by the data in Appendix D. The profile drag coefficient is relatively constant with 𝑀∞ at
subsonic speeds.
The variation of 𝑐𝑑 with 𝑀∞ from incompressible to supersonic speeds is sketched in
Figure (a). It is important to note the qualitative variation of this curve. For 𝑀∞ ranging from
zero to drag divergence, cd is relatively constant; it consists entirely of profile drag. For
𝑀∞ from drag divergence to slightly above 1, the value of 𝑐𝑑 skyrockets; indeed, the peak
value of 𝑐𝑑 around 𝑀∞ =1 can be an order of magnitude larger than the profile drag itself.
This large increase in 𝑐𝑑 is due to wave drag associated with the presence of shock waves.
2
For supersonic Mach numbers, 𝑐𝑑 decreases approximately as (𝑀∞ − 1)−1/2.
Fig (a): Variation of drag coefficient with Mach number for subsonic and supersonic speeds.
➢ For an airfoil, the lift, drag, and moment coefficients are defined as
where L, D, and M are the lift, drag, and moments per unit span and S = c(1).
➢ For a finite wing, the lift, drag, and moment coefficients are defined as
where L, D, and M are the lift, drag, and moments for the complete wing, and S is the
wing planform area.
For a given shape, these coefficients are a function of angle of attack, Mach number, and
Reynolds number.
where 𝐶𝑝,0 and 𝐶𝑝 are the incompressible and compressible pressure coefficients,
respectively. The same rule holds for the lift and moment coefficients, e.g.,
➢ The critical Mach number is that freestream Mach number at which sonic flow is
first achieved at some point on a body. The drag-divergence Mach number is that
freestream Mach number at which the drag coefficient begins to rapidly increase due to the
occurrence of transonic shock waves. For a given body, the drag-divergence Mach number is
slightly higher than the critical Mach number.
where 𝑐𝑑 is the profile drag coefficient and 𝐶𝐿 2 /𝜋𝑒𝐴𝑅 is the induced-drag coefficient.
where 𝐶𝐷,0 is the parasite drag coefficient at zero lift and the term 𝐶𝐿 2 /𝜋𝑒𝐴𝑅 includes
both induced drag and the contribution to parasite drag due to lift.
Maximum range occurs at maximum 𝐶𝐿 /𝐶𝐷 . Maximum endurance occurs at sea level with
maximum 𝐶𝐿 3/2 /𝐶𝐷 .
And
1
➢ At maximum 𝐶𝐿 3/2 /𝐶𝐷 , 𝐶𝐷,0 = 3 𝐶𝐷,𝑖 ; For this case,
➢ The V-n diagram is illustrated in Figure below. It is a diagram showing load factor vs.
velocity for a given airplane, along with the constraints on both n and V due to structural
limitations. The V-n diagram illustrates some particularly important aspects of overall
airplane performance.
Fig: V-n diagram for a typical jet trainer aircraft.
➢ If the forces and moments on a body caused by a disturbance tend initially to return
the body toward its equilibrium position, the body is statically stable. In contrast, if these
forces and moments tend initially to move the body away from its equilibrium position, the
body is statically unstable.
➢ The necessary criteria for longitudinal balance and static stability are (a) 𝐶𝑀,0 must
be positive, (b) 𝜕𝐶𝑀,𝑐𝑔 /𝜕𝛼𝑎 must be negative, and (c) the trim angle of attack 𝛼𝑒 must fall
within the flight range of angle of attack for the airplane. These criteria may be evaluated
quantitatively for a given airplane from
And
➢ The neutral point is that location of the center of gravity where 𝜕𝐶𝑀,𝑐𝑔 /𝜕𝛼𝑎 = 0. It
can be calculated from
➢ The static margin is defined as ℎ𝑛 − ℎ. For static stability, the location of the center
of gravity must be ahead of the neutral point; i.e., the static margin must be positive.
➢ The effect of elevator deflection 𝛿𝑒 on the pitching moment about the center of
gravity is given by
➢ The eccentricity depends on the difference between kinetic and potential energies
of the spacecraft, H.
For earth satellites, circular, or orbital, velocity is 7.9 km/s, or approximately 26,000 ftjs
(based on r = earth's radius).
For escape from the earth, this velocity is 11.2 km/s, or approximately 36,000 ft/s.
➢ Kepler's laws are: (1) a satellite describes an elliptical path around its center of
attraction, (2) in equal times, the areas swept out by the radius vector of a satellite are the
same, and (3) the periods of any two satellites about the same planet are related to their
semimajor axes as
➢ The velocity variation of a ballistic re-entry vehicle through the atmosphere is given
by
where p is a function of altitude, 𝑚/𝐶𝐷 𝑆 is the ballistic parameter, 𝜃 is the entry angle, 𝑉𝐸 is
the initial entry velocity, and 𝑍 = 𝑔0 /𝑅𝑇. During reentry, the maximum deceleration is given
by
Where,
𝜂 = propeller efficiency,
𝜂𝑚𝑒𝑐ℎ = mechanical efficiency,
𝑛 = revolutions per second of the engine shaft,
N = number of cylinders, and
W = work produced during the complete four-stroke cycle.
Where,
rpm is the revolutions per minute of the engine shaft,
d is the displacement, and
Pe is the mean effective pressure.
➢ The thrust equation for a jet propulsion device is
➢ The turbojet engine process involves aerodynamic compression of the intake air in a
diffuser, further compression in a rotating compressor, constant pressure combustion in the
burner, expansion through a turbine which drives the compressor, and further expansion
through an exhaust nozzle. In a turbofan engine, a large ducted fan is mounted on the shaft
ahead of the compressor, which accelerates a large mass of auxiliary air outside the core of
the engine itself, thus producing more thrust with higher efficiency. The ramjet engine has
no rotating machinery and produces its thrust by means of aerodynamic compression in an
inlet diffuser of the incoming air, burned at constant pressure in the combustor and
exhausted through a nozzle.
A rocket carries its own fuel and oxidizer and is not dependent on atmospheric air for the
generation of thrust.
For a high specific impulse, the combustion temperature T0 should be high and the
molecular weight of the combustion gas should be low.
➢ The rocket equation relates burnout velocity to the specific impulse and the initial to
final mass ratio
➢ Hypersonic flow is that region of the high-speed flight spectrum where the following
physical phenomena become important as the Mach number increases to large values:
1. Thin shock layers
2. Entropy layers
3. Viscous interactions
4. High-temperature flow
5. Low-density flow
➢ Depending on the vehicle size, shape, and altitude, some of these hypersonic
phenomena may occur at Mach numbers below 5, while others may occur at Mach numbers
above 5. As a rule of thumb only, hypersonic flow may be considered as flow where M > 5.
where 𝐶𝑝,𝑚𝑎𝑥 is the pressure coefficient at a stagnation point and 𝜃 is the angle between
a tangent at a given point on the surface and the freestream direction.