W 0 =W C +W P +W F +W E

Crew and payload is known

WF WE
W 0 =W C +W P +W 0 +W 0
W0 W0

WF W
W 0 −W 0 −W 0 E =W C +W P
W0 W0
W C +W P
W 0=
WF WE
1− −
W 0 W0
There still haven't been enough composite aircraft to develop good statistical equations just for
them, so we usually fake it. We'll approximate the empty-weight fraction for a composite aircraft by
multiplying 0.95 times the appropriate statistical empty-weight fraction calculated from the table.
For cruise:

V L W i−1
R= ln
C D Wi
Wi −RC
=exp
W i−1 V L/ D

R = range (ft or m)
C = specific fuel consumption (see following section)
V = velocity (ft/s or m/s)
L/ D = lift-to-drag ratio
For Loiter:

L/ D W i−1
E= ln
C Wi
Wi −EC
=exp
W i−1 L /D
E endurance or loiter time

A propeller thrust SFC equivalent to the jet-engine SFC can be calculated.

The engine produces thrust via the propeller, which has an efficiency 1/p
defined as thrust power produced by the propeller (thrust times velocity)
divided by the engine power provided to the propeller [Eq. (3.9) ] . The 550
term converts horsepower to power in British units and assumes that V is
in feet per second.
TV TV
ηp= = (feet per second)
P 550

W f /time V V
C= =C power =C bhp (feet per second)
thrust ηp 550 η p
Or (A= aspect ratio)

L
Dmax
=K LD √ A wetted = K LD
√ A
( wet /S ref )
S
 Wf
W0 (W
=1.06 1− x
W0 )
We need to know range as ft and C as 1/second