Aircraft Performance & Design

MACE 20400

Module 4: Mission Analysis

Topic 1a: Mission Profiles

Dr Nicholas Bojdo
nicholas.bojdo@manchester.ac.uk
 Introduction

• Climb performance is one of the most critical areas in both design and operation of an aircraft.

• Economically, since the climb is performed at high thrust or power, the fuel consumed in the

climb is a significant proportion of the total fuel for the mission.

• Optimisation of the climb for minimum fuel use may be an important factor in the overall

performance of the aircraft.

• The choice of climb

performance (e.g. for min

fuel, max ROC) is dictated by

the type of mission.

• So how would an aircraft

increase its climb capability?

 3. Design through Performance

Initial Aircraft Design

• The design of an aircraft starts from a statement of the flight-path-related performance that
the aircraft is expected to achieve, which concerns:
a) The payload the aircraft will be required to carry.
b) The mission profile it will be required to fly.
• The type of payload and mission depends on whether the operations are civil or military:
Military Payloads
Civil Payloads
• Personnel & Troops
• Numbers of Passengers
• Support Equipment & Supplies
• Tonnage of Freight
• Internal & External Stores (combat)
• Volume of Freight
• Sensor Pods
• Combinations of Freight &
Passengers

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 3. Design through Performance

Types of Mission Profile: Civil Operations

• Civil operations are, fundamentally, intended to be profit-making.
• The mission is broken up into elements (takeoff, climb, cruise, descend, land, + additional
manoeuvres) and the overall performance deduced from integrating over each element.
• In the design process each element is analysed individually and the performance of the
aircraft estimated to ensure it can carry out each individual manoeuvre safely.

Trip Fuel Diversion Fuel Reserves

Cruise
Climb
Descent
Diversion

Take-off Missed Landing

Approach

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 3. Design through Performance

Types of Mission Profile: Military Operations

• Military operations on the other hand, are primarily concerned with fulfilling defensive or
offensive objectives with success. Cost of ownership is a secondary issue.
• As a consequence, military missions follow a much wider spectrum of profiles.
• A significant difference is that military aircraft usual operate to and from the same base.
Attack Surveillance

Supply Intercept

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