Ceilings and Time to Climb

Ceilings and Time to Climb of Propeller-Driven Airplane

Using ratio and proportion,

H HS

R.C.0 R.C.0  100

H R.C.0  100 
HS 
R.C.0

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Using ratio and proportion,
H h

R.C.0 R.C.0  R.C.h

h R .C .0
H 
R .C .0  R .C . h

h R.C.0
R.C.h  R.C.0 
H
Where:
H = absolute ceiling
HS= service ceiling
R.C.0 = rate of climb at sea level
h = any altitude
R.C.h = rate of climb at any altitude, h

Absolute Ceiling - the maximum altitude above sea level at which a given airplane would be able to
maintain horizontal flight under air condition.
- the altitude where the rate of climb is zero.

Service Ceiling - the altitude above sea level, under air conditions, at which a given airplane is unable to
climb faster than a small specified rate.
- the altitude where the rate of climb is 100 ft per minute.

TIME TO CLIMB
h R.C.0
R.C.h  R.C.0 
H
dh h R.C.0
 R.C.0 
dt H

dh H R.C.0  h R.C.0

dt H

dh R.C.0
 H  h 
dt H

H dh
dt 
R.C.0 H  h

t H h dh
 dt  R.C. 
0
0
0 H h

let : u  H  h
du   dh
t H h  dh
0 dt   R.C.0 0 H  h
Formula;
du
 u
 ln u  c

H
t t0   lnH  h 0h
R.C.0

H
t 0   lnH  h   lnH  0
R.C.0

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 H
t lnH  h   ln H 
R.C.0

H
t ln H  lnH  h) 
R.C.0
H H
t ln
R.C.O H-h

Where:
t = time to climb to altitude h
H = absolute ceiling

Example No. 1: An airplane has an absolute ceiling of 5 km. Its rate of climb at sea level is 360 m/min. How
long will it take to climb to 3 km and to reach service ceiling?
Given:
H  5 km
R.C.0  360 m / min

Required:
t@ h  3 km and t@ H S
Solution:
At h  3 km :
H H
t@ h  3 km  ln
R.C.O H-h
 5,000 m    5 km 
t@ h  3 km    ln   12.73 min
 360 m / min    5 km - 3 km 
At H S :
H ( R.C.0  30.49) (5)(360  30.490)
HS    4.58 km
R.C.0 360

H H
t@ H S  ln
R.C.O H - HS

 5,000 m    5 km 
t@ H S    ln   34.40 min
 360 m / min    5 km  4.58 km 

Example No. 2 : A light airplane has a service ceiling of 16,400 ft. Its rate of climb at sea level is 1,195 ft per
minute. How long will it take to climb to 10,000 ft?

Given:
H S  16,400 ft
R.C.0  1,195 ft / min

Required:
t@ h 10, 000 ft
Solution:
H HS

R.C.0 R.C.0  100

H S R.C.0
H
R.C.0  100

H
16,400 ft 1,195ft / min 
 17,897.72 ft
1,195 ft / min  100 ft / min
3
 H H
t@ h 10, 000 ft  ln
R.C.O H-h

 17,897.72 ft    17,897.72 ft 
t@ h 10, 000 ft    ln   12.25 min
 1,195 ft / min    17,897.72 ft - 10,000 ft 

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Activity No. 10
Title: Ceilings and Time to Climb

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