AE 429 - Aircraft Performance and

Flight Mechanics

Power Required and Available

Power
Power is energy per unit time
FORCE * DISTANCE
POWER = P ≡ = FV∞ if V∞ is constant
TIME
For an airplane in level, unaccelerated flight, power PR = TRV∞
required is
W 2W
PR = TRV∞ = V∞ but V∞ =
CL ρ∞ SCL
CD
– So
W 2W 2W 3 CD2
PR = =
CL ρ∞ SCL ρ∞ S CL3
CD
– That is,
1
PR ∝ 3
CL 2 CD

1
Power

How power required varies with drag

5000
AIRPLANE DATA
f = 10.8 sq. ft.
POWER REQUIRED, (horsepower)
W = 15,000 lbs
b = 40 ft
4000 e = 0.827
Sea Level
f = 7.2 sq. ft.
3000

Minimum Power Required

2000

1000

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

VELOCITY (knots)

Power

Let’s analyze minimum power required

– As we observed before for a parabolic drag polar
CL2
PR = TRV∞ = DV∞ = q∞ S CD 0 + V
π eAR ∞
CL2
PR = q∞ SC D 0V∞ + q∞ SV∞
Parasite power required
π eAR
Induced power required

– In level, unaccelerated flight

2L 2W
CL = = ;
ρ∞V∞ S ρ∞V∞2 S
2

1 1 C2 1 1 4W 2
PR = ρ∞V∞3 SCD0 + ρ∞V∞3 S L = ρ∞V∞3 SCD0 + ρ∞V∞3 S 2 4 2
2 2 π eAR 2 2 ρ∞V∞ S π eAR
1 2W 2
PR = ρ∞V∞3 SCD0 +
2 ρ∞V∞ Sπ eAR

2
Power
Still looking for the minimum PR point
– Differentiating this last expression for PR and setting this result to
zero
dPR 3 2W 2
= ρ ∞V∞2 SCD0 −
dV∞ 2 ρ∞V∞2 Sπ eAR
3 4W 2
= ρ∞V∞2 S CD0 − 2 4 2
2 3ρ∞V∞ S π eAR
3 CL2
= ρ∞V∞2 S CD0 −
2 3π eAR
3 CD
= ρ∞V∞2 S CD0 − i
2 3

– Thus, the relationship between CD0 and CDi at minimum power

required is C Di
CD0 =
3

Power
In level flight, D = TR
PR TRV∞
d d
V∞ V∞ dTR
PR = = =0
R
P

dV∞ dV∞ dV∞

t
Ne

3 CL
R
D

CL 2
CD
te

CD max
si

max
ra
Pa

Induced
D R

VminP
R
VminT
R
V∞

3
Altitude effects on PR

Power required and velocity for level unaccelerated flight

– At sea level
2W 2W 3CD2
V0 = PR ,0 =
ρ0 SCL ρ0 SCL3
– At altitude
2W 2W 3CD2
Valt = PR , alt =
ρ SCL ρ SCL3

– Dividing each altitude equation by the s.l. one

ρ 1 ρ 1
Valt = V0 0 = V0 PR ,alt = PR ,0 0 = PR ,0
ρ σ ρ σ
– On a power required curve, any point associated with a given CL at
sea level, moves to the right and up as altitude is increased

Altitude effects on PR

Point corresponding to
same CL, but at altitude
PR

PR,alt
l
ve

de
le

Point corresponding to tu
lti
a
Se

a given CL A
V0 Valt
PR,0

VL / Dmax 0 VL / Dmax alt V∞

4
 Weight effects on PR

W 2W 5000
PR =
CL CD ρ∞ SCL

POWER REQ UIRED, PR (hp)

4000
3 2 1 W = 22,500 lbs
=W 2
ρ∞ S CL CD
3
2
W = 15,000 lbs
3000
2W
V= Minimum Power
ρ∞ SCL required
2000
– Define
W 1000
ω≡
Wstd
V = Vstd ω
0 100 200 300 400 500
PR = PRstd ω 3 VELOCITY (knots)

Power available PA

Propeller efficiency is important for any powerplant

driving a propeller P =ηP A

η is propeller efficiency
P is brake horsepower 1 hp = 550 ft − lb / sec = 746 watts
PA is available horsepower < P

PA
PA

Reciprocating engine-
propeller combination
V∞

5
Power available PA
Power available from a jet engine has quite a
different shape
PA
PA

Jet engine

V∞
PA = TAV∞

Power available PA

Altitude effects on PA are kin to PR

– Propeller aircraft

Propeller
airplane

6
Power available PA

Similarly for a jet-powered airplane

Jet-powered
airplane