Aircraft Operations and Flight Mechanics – AERO 200

Q1: Consider an airplane flying at some real, geometric altitude. The outside pressure and
temperature are 2.70 × 104 N/m2 and 222 K, respectively. What are the pressure and
density altitudes?

Solution

The expression for the density of the air is,

Here, p is the pressure, R is the characteristic gas constant and T is the absolute temperature.

From appendix A, the value of altitude corresponding to 2.70x104 N/m2 pressure is 10000.

Convert the units of altitude, from m to km:

(
A= (10000 m) 1km 1000m )
Hence, pressure altitude is 10km.

The density of outside air is:

Substitute 2.70x104 N/m2 for p, 222k for T and 287j/kg/K for R in the equation

2.70x104 N/m2

(287j/kg/K) (222k)

0.04 kg/m³

From appendix A, the value of altitude corresponding to density is 0.04 kg/m³. Hence, density
altitude is 9.88 km.

Q2: Consider an airplane flying at a pressure altitude of 11 km and a density altitude of

10.5 km. Calculate the ambient temperature.
Solution

Q3: A supersonic jet fighter is in a rapid climb (its altitude is increasing at a fast rate). At
the instant it passes through a geometric altitude of 7,500 m, its rate-of-climb is 150 m/s
(the rate-of-climb is the time rate of change of altitude). Calculate the corresponding time
rate of change of ambient pressure (𝑑𝑝/𝑑𝑡) in units of Pascal per second (Pa/s).
Q4: An approximate atmospheric model called the exponential atmosphere, gives the air
density variation with altitude as 𝜌 𝜌0 = 𝑒 − 𝑔0ℎ 𝑅𝑇 where 𝜌0 is the sea-level density and ℎ
is the altitude measured above sea level. Using this equation, calculate the density at
altitudes of 5, 10, 20, and 40 km. Compare your results with the values of density you
obtain from the standard atmosphere tables. Assume the temperature to vary linearly from
sea-level to 11 km with a lapse rate of –6.5 K/km, then remains constant from 11 to 25 km,
then varies linearly from 25 to 47 km with a lapse rate of 3.0 K/km.

Solution