• Recap: Lecture 17, 4th May 2021, 0830-0925 hrs.

• Drag polar
• CD0 and CDmin
• Salient points on the drag polar
• L/D and CL/CD
• Equations of motion for an aircraft in translational flight
• Steady, level, un-accelerated flight

1
 2
Source: Biomimetic spiroid winglets for lift and drag control, Guerrero et al., 2011
Force diagram for an airplane in flight
3
For a curvilinear path, at a given point on the path, two mutually perpendicular
axes, one along the direction of the flight path and the other normal to the flight
path, are set up.

Applying Newton's law along the flight path,

Velocity V is always along the flight path direction, by definition.

Applying Newton's law perpendicular to the flight path,

RHS: centrifugal force

Also,

4
 Combining the above equations,

the equations of motion for an airplane in translational flight.

5
The performance of an airplane for un-accelerated flight conditions:
static performance

Static performance analyses lead to reasonable calculations of

maximum velocity, maximum rate of climb, maximum range, etc.:
parameters of vital interest in airplane design and operation.

For level, un-accelerated flight:

For most conventional airplanes, αT is small enough

6
 Thrust Required For Level, Un-accelerated Flight

For steady level flight at a given altitude and a given velocity, the thrust
required can be determined as

and

Dividing the above two equations,

The thrust required for an airplane to fly at a given velocity in level, un-
accelerated flight is

7
 Thrust-required curve

Choose a value of V∞
For this V∞, calculate the lift coefficient

Calculate CD from the known drag polar for the airplane

Determine the CL/CD ratio

Calculate the thrust required for this speed
Repeat for other speeds to generate the TR curve

8
9
 TR varies inversely as L/D
For most conventional subsonic airplanes, L/ D reaches a maximum at some specific
value of α, usually on the order of 2 to 5°
Hence, when an airplane is flying at the velocity for minimum TR, it is simultaneously
flying at the angle of attack for max. L/ D
10
 High V∞ à high q∞
CL and α small, D large

q∞ decreases
Low V∞ à Low q∞ CL and α must increase
CL large and hence Cdi = f(CL2) to support weight

When an airplane is flying at the velocity for minimum TR, it is

simultaneously flying at the angle of attack for maximum L/D
11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYi1e4pOQJw 12
http://www.formula1-dictionary.net/aerodynamic_balance.html
13
Since

14
Minimum TR corresponds to dTR / dV∞ = 0 or dTR / dq∞= 0

Therefore,

Also,

15
At minimum thrust required, parasite drag equals drag due to lift. Hence, the
curves for parasite and induced TR intersect at the velocity for minimum TR (i.e.,
for maximum L/ D)
16
17