6.

CHAPTER 6

WEIGHT ESTIMATION

6.1 INTRODUCTION

To find the weight of the following parameters of an aircraft.

• Takeoff Weight (WTO)
• Fuel Weight (WF)
• Empty Weight (WE)
The following are the data which is obtained from the graph to proceed for the
Weight estimation.
• Max Speed = 1335.9 miles/hr
• Takeoff weight = 32848.87 lbs
• Service ceiling (S.C) = 10.25 miles
• Range = 1615.56 miles
• Takeoff Distance (T.D) = 0.4970 miles
• Landing Distance (L.D) = 0.4658 miles
• Payload = 6834.33 lbs

RCR = R – [T.D + L.D + 2 x (S.C)]

Rcr = [1403 – (0.4319 + 0.4048 + (2 X 8.909))]

Where,
R – total range = 1403 nm
T.D – Take off distance = 0.4319 nm
L.D – Landing distance = 0.4048 nm
Service ceiling = 8.909 nm

Rcr = 1384.3 nm

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6.2 MISSION PROFILE

Description:
0-1 - Engine Start & Warm up 6-7 - Descent
1-2 - Taxing 7-8 - Drop bombs
2-3 - Take off 8-9 - Strafe
3-4 - Climb 9 - 10 - Climb
4-5 - Cruise out 10 - 11 - Cruise in
5-6 - Loitering 11 - 12 - Descent
12 - 13 - Landing, Taxi, Shutdown

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6.3 MISSION FUEL FRACTION:

The following tables 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 will be used for getting the values for the specified aircraft types.
Table 6.1 Suggested Fuel Fraction for Several Mission Phases

52
Table 6.2 Suggested value for L/D, Cj, Cp, ηp for several mission phases

53
Table 6.3 Regression line constant A & B

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6.4 CALCULATION

Phase 1: Engine start and Warm-up

𝑊0
Begin weight is W0. End weight is W1 . The ratio = 0.990
𝑊1

Phase 2: Taxi
𝑊2
Begin weight is W1. End weight is W2. The ratio = 0.990
𝑊1

Phase 3: Take-off
𝑊3
Begin weight is W2. End weight is W3. The ratio = 0.990
𝑊2

Phase 4: Climb
𝑊4
Begin weight is W3. End weight is W4. The ratio = 0.971
𝑊3

Phase 5: Cruise - out

Begin weight is W4. End weight is W5. The amount of fuel used during
cruise can be found from Brequet’s range equation mentioned below.
𝑉 𝐿 𝑊
Rcr = [ ]cr [ ]cr ln [ 4 ]
𝐶𝑗 𝐷 𝑊5

Rcr = [ R – (T + L + (2 X service ceiling))] = 1384.3 nm

𝑉 𝐿 𝑊
Rcr = [ ]cr [ ]cr ln [ 4 ]
𝐶𝑗 𝐷 𝑊5
1336 𝑊
1384.3 = [ ] [7] ln [ 4 ]
0.6 𝑊5
Where,
V – speed (from graph) = 1336 mph
𝐶𝑗 = 0.6
𝐿
=7
𝐷

𝑊5
= 0.915
𝑊4

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Phase 6: Loitering
Begin weight is W5. End weight is W6. The ratio W6/W5 can be estimate
from the Brequet’s endurance equation which is mentioned below.

1 𝐿 𝑊
Elt= [ ]lt [ ]lt ln [ 5 ]
𝐶𝑗 𝐷 𝑊6

1 𝑊
0.5 = [ ] [9] ln [ 5 ]
0.6 𝑊6

Where,
Elt = 30 mins of loitering = 0.5 hrs

The mission profile assumes no range credit during loiter. Loiter time is 30
minutes.
𝐶𝑗 = 0.6
𝐿
=9
𝐷

𝑊6
= 0.967
𝑊5

Phase 7: Descent
Begin Weight is W6. End Weight is W7. No credit is taken for range.
However, a penalty for fuel used during descents from high altitudes needs
to be assessed. Typically, the ratio
𝑊7
= 0.99
𝑊6

Phase 8: Drop Bombs

Begin Weight is W8. End Weight is W9. Typically, the ratio
𝑊9
=1
𝑊8

Phase 9: Strafe
Begin Weight is W9. End Weight is W10. Typically, the ratio
𝑊10
= 0.986
𝑊9

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Phase 10: Climb
Begin Weight is W11. End Weight is W12. Typically, the ratio
𝑊12
= 0.969
𝑊11

Phase 11: Cruise - in

Begin Weight is W12. End Weight is W13. Typically, the ratio
𝑊13
= 0.959
𝑊12

Phase 12: Descent

Begin Weight is W13. End Weight is W14. No credit is taken for range.
However, a penalty for fuel used during descents from high altitudes needs
to be assessed. Typically, the ratio
𝑊14
= 0.99
𝑊13

Phase 13: Landing, Taxi and Shutdown

Begin Weight is W14. End Weight is W15. Typically, the ratio
𝑊15
= 0.995
𝑊14

Mission Fuel – Fraction (𝑴𝒇𝒇 )

The Overall mission fuel-fraction, Mff can now be computed as

𝑊0 𝑊2 𝑊3 𝑊4 𝑊5 𝑊6 𝑊7 𝑊8 𝑊9 𝑊10 𝑊11 𝑊12 𝑊13 𝑊14 𝑊15

𝑀𝑓𝑓 =
𝑊1 𝑊1 𝑊2 𝑊3 𝑊4 𝑊5 𝑊6 𝑊7 𝑊8 𝑊9 𝑊10 𝑊11 𝑊12 𝑊13 𝑊14

= (0.990) (0.990) (0.990) (0.971) (0.906) (0.967) (0.99)

(1)(0.986)(0.969) (0.959) (0.99) (0.995)

𝑴𝒇𝒇 = 0.744

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Maximum Take-off Weight ( WTO)

WTO =32848 lbs

Payload Weight (WPayload)

WPayload = Weight of Number of Passengers + Military loads

= (200 * 0) + 6834

WPayload = 6834 lbs

Crew Weight (WCrew)

WCrew = (175 + 25) * Number of crew

= (175 + 25) * 1

WCrew = 200 lbs

Weight of Fuel (Wf)

Wf = Wf used + Wres
Wf used:
Wf used = (1 - 𝑀𝑓𝑓 ) * WTO
Where, 𝑀𝑓𝑓 = 0.744
WTO = 32848 lbs

Wf used = (1 - 0.744) * 32848

Wf used =8409 lbs

Weight of Fuel Reserve (Wres)

Wres = 10-15 % of fuel used

= 10 % of fuel used

Wres = 840.9 lbs

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Wf = Wfused + Wres
= 8409 + 840.9

Wf = 9249.9 lbs

Weight of Trapped Fuel Oil (WTFO)

WTFO = 0.5 % of WTO

WTFO = 164.24 lbs

Weight of Operative Empty (WOE Tent)

WOE Tent = WTO - Wf – WPayload
= 32848 – 9249.9 - 6834

WOE Tent = 16750.1 lbs

Weight of Empty (WE Tent)

WE Tent = WOE Tent – WTFO – WCrew
= 16750.1 – 164.24 – 200
\
WE Tent = 16385.86 lbs

Weight of Actual (WE Actual)

𝑙𝑜𝑔10 𝑊𝑇𝑂 − A
WE Actual = inv log10 [ ]
𝐵
A = 0.5091; B = 0.9505
𝑙𝑜𝑔10 32848 − 0.5091
= inv log10 [ ]
0.9505

WE Actual = 16447.7 lbs

Difference Between WE Actual and WE Tent

WE Actual - WE Tent = 16447.7 – 16385.86

WE Actual - WE Tent = 61.84 lbs

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 Percentage of Error
𝑊𝐸 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 − 𝑊𝐸 𝑇𝑒𝑛𝑡
% Error = [ ] * 100
𝑊𝐸 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙

16447.7−16383.86
=[ ] * 100
16447.7

% Error = 0.375 %

RESULT

PARAMETERS SI UNIT (Kg) IMPERIAL UNIT (lbs)

Take-off Weight (WTO ) 14900 32848

6.4.1.1 Fuel Weight (WF ) 3814.2 8409

6.4.1.2 Empty Weight (WE ) 7460.5 16447.7

6.4.1.3 Payload Weight (Wpayload ) 3100 6834

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