Module-2

Lecture-8

Cruise Flight - Range and Endurance of Propeller

Driven Aircraft
 Range and Endurance

Range is defined as the total distance (measured with respect to ground) traversed by the
airplane on a full tank of fuel.
Endurance is defined as the total time that an airplane stays in the air on a full tank of
fuel.

For different applications, it may be desirable to maximize one or other, or both character-
istics. The parameters that maximize range are different from those that maximizes the
endurance. Additionally, these parameters are also different for propeller and jet powered
aircrafts.

Range & Endurance : Propeller driven aircraft

For a propeller driven aircraft, the most important factor that influences range and en-
durance is the specific fuel consumption of the reciprocating engine.

Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC), is defined as the weight of the fuel consumed by
the reciprocating engine per unit power per unit time.

N (f uel)
SF C = (1)
(J/s)(s)

Endurance

In order to stay airborne for the longest duration, i.e. for maximum endurance the engine
must use minimum Newton’s of fuel per unit time. From the Equation 1, we can see that:

N (f uel)
∝ SF C(PR ) (2)
(s)

1
So from Equation 2 depicting the proportionality, we quickly conclude that for maximum
endurance, the power required by the airplane should be minimum. We have already
shown in our previous discussions, that for an aircraft to fly at the minimum power
3/2
required, CL /CD should be maximum. Designating SF C as c and considering the
product c.P.dt, where P is engine power and dt is a small increment in time, we have:

N (f uel) J
cP dt = × × s = N (f uel) (3)
(J/s)(s) s

Thus, cP dt represents the differential change in the weight of fuel over a small interval of
time, dt. Let,

Wo - gross weight of the airplane

W1 - weight of the airplance without fuel
Wf - weight of the fuel

Then, we have:
W1 = Wo − Wf (4)

and
dWf = dW = −cP dt (5)
dW
⇒ dt = − (6)
cP
Denoting endurance as E Z E Z W1
dW
dt = −
0 Wo cP
Z W1
dW
⇒E= (7)
Wo cP

Range

Now considering range; in order to cover the longest distance, we must ensure minimum
weight of fuel consumed per unit distance. From the relations discussed above, we can
get the proportionality:
N (f uel) SF C(PR )
∝
(m) V
Thus for obtaining maximum range for any flight, the ratio PR /V should be minimum.
[PR /V ]min for cruise flight implies that thrust required is minimum and for TR to be
minimum, CL /CD should be maximum. Minimum value of PR /V precisely corresponds
to the tangent point in Figure 1, which also corresponds to [L/D]max or [CL /CD ]max . Now

2
 L
Figure 1: Power required curve to determine D max

to calculate the range, from Equation 7:

Z W1
V dW
ds = V dt = −
Wo cP
Z R Z Wo
V dW
⇒ ds =
0 W1 cP
Z Wo
V dW
⇒R= (8)
W1 cP

Breguet Formula

For a propeller driven aircraft, we know that:

PA = ηP

thus,
PA DV
P = = (9)
η η
Substitute Equation 9 in Equation 8, we get:
Z Wo Z Wo Z Wo
V dW V ηdW ηdW
R= = = (10)
W1 cP W1 cDV W1 cD

Multiplying Equation 10 by W/W and noting that for steady, level flight, W = L, we get:
Z Wo Z Wo
η W η L dW
R= dW =
W1 cD W W1 c D W

η CL Wo dW
Z
⇒
c CD W1 W

3
thus,
η CL W o
R= ln (11)
c CD W1
Similarly by using Equation 7 and Equation 9 and by applying steady, level flight condi-
tion, L = W , we get:
Z Wo Z Wo Z Wo
dW ηdW η L dW
E= = =
W1 cP W1 cDV W1 c DV W

Substituting, s
2 W


1
L = W = ρV 2 SCL and then V = S
2 ρCL
we get: r
Z Wo
η CL ρSCL dW
E= (12)
W1 c CD 2 W 32
Assuming CL , CD , η, c and ρ(constant altitude) are all constant, Equation 12 becomes:
3  1
η CL2 ρS 2 h − 1 iWo
E = −2 W 2
c CD 2 W1

3
η CL2 1

−1 −1

E= (2ρS) 2 W1 2 − Wo 2 (13)
c CD