Course Instructor: Dr.

Rajesh Senthil Kumar T

 Lecture Outline:

1) Mission Profile
To make Introduction about flight
2) Flight Mechanics
Performance

3) Performance analysis
 Mission Profile
A schematic of the flight phases (speed, altitude, etc.) and the detailed descriptions of the activities
performed on the flight.

Figure 1: Typical Mission profile of a passenger airplane

Figure 2: Mission profile for the Lockheed CL-400 using liquid

hydrogen as fuel
 The normal operation of a civil transport airplane involves take-off, climb to cruise altitude, cruising, descent,
loiter and landing (Fig.1).
 In addition, the airplane may also carry out glide (which is descent with power off), turning motion in
horizontal and vertical planes and other motions involving accelerations.

Figure 3: Typical Mission profile with reserve mission

 Flight Mechanics
It deals with the motion of an object moving in the earth’s atmosphere. The study of flight mechanics
(dynamics) will enable us to,

 obtain the performance of the airplane which is described by items like rate of climb, range,

endurance, radius of turn, take-off and landing distance etc.,

 estimate the power required or thrust required for desired performance,

 estimate the loads on the airplane,

 determine the stability of the airplane i.e. whether the airplane returns to steady flight conditions after

being disturbed and examine the control of the airplane.

Performance Analysis
 Performance Analysis
 The aircraft undergoing a performance analysis may be an existing aircraft, a real aircraft.

On the other hand, it may be a paper aircraft, one that is being studied for possible

adaptation and manufacture.

 There are two basic approaches to a performance analysis. The first is primarily

graphical , and other is primarily analytical.

 The latter will be used on a broader basis than the former approach. It will give us insight to

design the mission of an aircraft and its performance.

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