3
Mission Analysis
3.1 Concept
With preliminary design values of takeoff thrust loading (TsL/Wro) and wing
loading (Wro/S) now in hand, the next step is to establish the scale of the aircraft
via the estimation of gross takeoff weight (Wro). This will be accomplished by
flying the aircraft through its entire mission on paper.
The key fact is that WTo is simply the sum of the payload weight (We), the
empty weight (WE), and the required fuel weight (WF), or
WTO = Wp -t- WE -t- WF
(3.1)
These will now be considered in turn.
Wp is specified in the Request for Proposal (RFP) and comes in two parts. The
first is the expendable payload weight, which is delivered during the trip (WpE),
such as cargo or ammunition. The second is the permanent payload weight, which
is carried the entire mission (Wpp), such as the crew and passengers and their
personal equipment.
WE consists of the basic aircraft structure plus any equipment that is permanently
attached, such as the engines, the avionics, the wheels, and the seats. In short, WE
includes everything except Wp and WF. WE can be estimated as a fraction of
Wro, as shown in Figs. 3.1 and 3.2, which correspond to conventional, lightweight
metal construction. The ratio of WE to Wro has obviously depended on the type of
aircraft and its size, but the range of this parameter is not wide. Because WE/Wro
varies slowly with Wro, an initial value may be obtained from an initial estimate
of WTO and any necessary correction made when WTO becomes more accurately
known.
When one contemplates the enormous range of ages and types of aircraft dis-
played in Figs. 3.1 and 3.2, and the relatively narrow range of WE/WTo, it is
possible to conclude that "practical" aircraft have "natural" empty weight frac-
tions that provide reliable future projections. This observation should increase
your confidence in their validity.
WF represents the fuel gradually consumed during the entire mission. Except
for the instantaneous release of WpE, the aircraft weight decreases at exactly the
same rate at which fuel is burned in the engine. The rate of fuel consumption,
in turn, is simply the product of installed engine thrust (T) and installed engine
thrust specific fuel consumption (TSFC). T can be found from whatever version
of Eq. (2.1) is most convenient, while TSFC depends on the engine cycle, flight
conditions, and throttle setting and must initially be estimated on the basis of
experience.
The fuel consumption analysis has several fortunate benefits. For one thing, it
results in calculations based on relatively little information. For another, it reveals
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