Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering Warsaw University of Technology - Mechanics Division

Project No. 4
Drift-down (gliding) flight. The speed polar.

4.1 Drift-down flight

Let assume that a flying vehicle without any active propulsion system (ie. the sailplane or
regular plane with power off) is flying in the vertical plane with the constant speed V
(fig. 4.1). The vector of flight speed is deflected down by a small path angle angle γ
(measured relative to horizon plane). The mass of vehicle as well as the flight altitude let be
constant (are parameters of the problem).

za

Pz
L

xa
PDx

γ
C w
V

m*g
Fig. 4.1

Following active forces are acting on the vehicle: the weight of plane m*g, aerodynamic lift
force L and drag force D. Aerodynamic forces are given in the aerodynamic coordinates
system Cxayaza. Dynamic equations of motion of the flying vehicle (forces only!) can be
written as follows:
D−m⋅g⋅sin γ=0 (4.1)

L−m⋅g⋅cos γ=0. (4.2)

Using above formulas we may compute value of the flight speed V, path angle γ and the drift-
down speed (sink speed) w as functions of the lift coefficient CL (the drag coefficient CD is
also the function of CL):

V=
√ 2⋅m⋅g
⋅ 2
1
ρ⋅S √ C L +C 2D
, (4.3)

CD
γ=arctan ( )
CL
, (4.4)

√
2
2⋅m⋅g CD
w= ⋅ . (4.5)
ρ⋅S C 2
√
( L D)
+C 2 3

{ file: MoF_Proj_04a.odt } En IV-1

 Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering Warsaw University of Technology - Mechanics Division

Note: expressions (4.3) thru (4.5) are exact ones, and are valid for all path angles range 0 o up to 90o.

4.2 The speed polar

The dependency of drift-down speed w from the flight speed V is called as the speed polar. In
this project we have to calculate discrete functions w(V) and γ(V) for three different masses
of the flying vehicle or for three different flight altitudes. Calculations should be made using
CL as the independent variable (see Table 4.1). Values of CL should be taken in range CL max
up to CL n correspond to the flight speed 20% higher than the maximum horizontal speed in
the powered flight (see airplane data). The result of calculations-three curves of w(V) and
one curve γ(V) -should be presented on the plot (fig. 4.2). Based on results estimate (using
discrete data from the table 4.1 and plot curves) following characteristic parameters of flight:
• economic speed Ve and we= wmin,
• optimal speed Vopt, wopt and γopt = γmin.

Table 4.1

√ (√ 2∗m∗g
ρ∗S ) (√ 2∗m∗g
ρ∗S ) (√ 2∗m∗g
ρ∗S )
√
1 C 2D
CL CD γ
√ C L +C 2D
2
√( C 2L +C 2D )3
1 2 3

V1 w1 V2 w2 V3 W3
CL max
CL 2
CL 3
......
CL n

Fig. 4.2

{ file: MoF_Proj_04a.odt } En IV-2

 Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering Warsaw University of Technology - Mechanics Division

4.3 Approximate values of economic and optimal parameters of drift-down flight

Approximate values of economic and optimal parameters of drift-down flight may be quickly
calculated using the parabolic polar of the airplane. It can be proof that for small path angles γ
CD2 <<CL2 expressions (4.3) and (4.5) can be written in simplified form as:

V=
√ 2⋅m⋅g 1
⋅ ,
ρ⋅S C L
(4.6)

√
2
2⋅m⋅g C D
w= ⋅ 3, (4.7)
ρ⋅S C L
and optimal and economic flight parameters are equal:

V opt =
√ 2⋅m⋅g
ρ⋅S⋅√ π⋅Λ e⋅C D 0
w opt =
√ 8⋅m⋅g⋅√ C D 0

ρ⋅S⋅( √ π⋅Λe )3
, (4.8)

√
32⋅m⋅g⋅√ C D
V e=
√ 2⋅m⋅g
ρ⋅S⋅√ 3⋅π⋅Λ e⋅C D 0
w e=
ρ⋅S⋅( √ 3⋅π⋅Λe )
0

3
. (4.9)

Note: It is easy to proof that:

V opt 4 wopt √ 3⋅√ 3
=√ 3 , = .
Ve we 2

Using the parabolic polar of the airplane (calculated in the Project No. 3) and formulas (4.8)
and (4.9) calculate approximate values of economic and optimal speeds of the flying vehicle
and compare them with values obtained from the regular polar speed analysis (sub-chapter 4.2
above).
(***)

{ file: MoF_Proj_04a.odt } En IV-3