Example1: Initial Sizing

Medium Range Jet Transport Aircraft

Requirements:
Payload: 150 pax at 175 lb & 30 lb baggage each
Crew: 2 Pilots and 3 Cabin attendants at 175 lb each and 30 lb baggage
each
Range: 1500 nm, followed by 1 hour loiter, followed by 100 nm flight
to alternate and descent
Altitude: 35,000 feet for design range
Cruise speed: Mach number = 0.82 at 35,000 ft
Climb: direct climb to 35,000 ft at maximum WTO is desired.
Take-off and Landing: FAR 25 Field Length of 5,000 ft at an altitude
of 5,000 ft and a 95 F day; Landing performance at WL = 0.85 WTO
Powerplants: Two Turbofans
Assume ISA deg C atmosphere
Assumptions:
When W0 in kg
WE
E = 0.97 W00.06
=W
W0
When W0 in lb
WE
E = 1.02 W00.06
=W
W0
Maximum Aerodynamic efficiency = 16;
Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) at cruise flight = 0.5 lb/hr/lb
Specific Fuel Consumption at loiter flight = 0.6 lb/hr/lb
Diversion:
Cruise speed of 250 knots (FAR 25)
L/D = 10 and Specific Fuel Consumption = 0.9 lb/hr/lb
Reserve Fuel Fraction = 10%
Solution:
Phase 1: Engine start and Warmup
Begin weight is W0 . End weight is W1 .
The ratio ( ) is typically 0.990
Phase 2: Taxi
Begin weight is W1 . End weight is W2 .
The ratio ( ) is typically 0.990
Phase 3: Take-off
Begin weight is W2 . End weight is W3 .
The ratio of ( ) is typically 0.995
Phase 4: Climb to cruise altitude and accelerate to cruise speed
Begin weight is W3 . End weight is W4 .
The ratio of ( ) is typically 0.980
As suggested by the mission profile, range credit is to be taken for the
climb. It will be assumed that climb is performed at an average speed
of 275 kts and with an average climb-rate of 2500 fpm.
Direct climb to 35,000 ft with climb rate of 2,500 fpm,
dh dh 35,000 0
Rate of Climb (ROC) = Time = = = 14 min
dt ROC 2500
During climb, aircraft covers the range of
(14/60) *275 = 64 nm
Cruise range = 1500 64 = 1436 nm = 8725308 ft
Phase 5: Cruise
Begin weight is W4 . End weight is W5 .
Altitude = 35,000 ft and Mach number = 0.82
Temperature = 394.1 R
Pressure = 497.3 psf
Density = 0.000735 slug/ft^3
Speed of sound = 973.14 ft/s
Velocity of aircraft = 797.97 ft/s
The amount of fuel used during cruise can be found from Breguets
Range equation which for jet transports is:
VL Wi1
Range, R = ln ( )
cD Wi
VL W4 797.97 W4
R= ln ( ) = 16 ln ( )
cD W5 0.000138889 W5
 W5
= e((Rc)((LD)V))
W4
Rc 8725308 0.000138889
= = 0.094917
(LD) V 16 797.97
W5
= e((Rc)(LDV)) = e0.094917 = 0.909
W4
Phase 6: Loiter
Begin weight is W5 . End weight is W6 .
The ratio ( ) can be estimated from Breguets endurance
equation which for jet transport is:
1L Wi1
Endurance, E = ln ( )
cD Wi
1L W5
E= ln ( )
cD W6
W6
= e((Ec)((LD)))
W5
Ec 3600 0.000166667
= = 0.03333
(LD) 18
W6
= e((Ec)((LD))) = e(0.03333) = 0.967
W5
Phase 7: Descent
Begin weight is W6 . End weight is W7 .
No credit is taken for range. However, a penalty for fuel used during
descents from high altitudes needs to be assessed.
Typically, the ratio ( ) is 0.990
Phase 8: Fly to alternate and descend
Begin weight is W7 . End weight is W8 .
This time however, because of the short distance to fly, it will not be
possible to reach an economical cruise altitude. It will be assumed, that
for the cruise to alternate a value for L/D of only 10 can be achieved.
The flight to alternate will probably be carried out at or below 10,000
ft, the cruise speed can be no more than 250 kts in accordance with
FAA regulations.
VL Wi1
Range, R = ln ( )
cD Wi
VL W7 421.95 W7
R= ln ( ) = 10 ln ( )
cD W8 0.00025 W8
W8
= e((Rc)((LD)V))
W7
Rc 607612 0.00025
= = 0.03600
(LD) V 10 421.95
W8
= e((Rc)(LDV)) = e0.03600 = 0.965
W7
Phase 9: Landing, Taxi and Shut-down
Begin weight is W8 . End weight is W9 .
For a jet transport, the ratio ( ) is 0.992
The overall Mission fuel fraction, Mff can now be computed from
W9 W8 W7 W6 W5 W4 W3 W2 W1
Mff =
W8 W7 W6 W5 W4 W3 W2 W1 W0
Mff = 0.992 0.965 0.990 0.967 0.909 0.980 0.995 0.990 0.990

Mff = 0.796
The fuel used during phase 1 through 9 is given by
MFused = (1 0.796)W0 = 0.204W0
Wf
= [1 + RFF](1 Mff ) = 1.1(1 0.796) = 0.224
W0
Design Gross Weight can be calculated from
Wcrew + WPayload
W0 =
W W
1 ( f) E
W0 W0
1025 + 30750
W0 =
1 0.224 1.02 W00.06
31775
W0 =
0.776 1.02 W00.06
1.02 W00.94 0.776 W0 + 31775 = 0
By solving the above equation, we get
Design Gross Weight = W0 = 117780 lb
Empty Weight = WE = 0.506 117780 = 59597 lb
Fuel Weight = WF = 0.224 117780 = 26383 lb