Contents:

1. Factors of Aircraft Performance

2. Factors of Takeoff and Landing Performance

3. Calculating Takeoff and Landing Performance

4. Factors of Climb Performance

5. Calculating Climb Performance

6. Factors of Cruise Performance

7. Calculating Cruise Performance

1. Factors of Aircraft Performance

• Aircraft Performance? ?

• Determine:

• How much runway you need for takeoff

• Whether you can safely clear obstacles on departure

• The amount of fuel you need

• How much runway you need for landing

• Table Performance Chart

• Graph Performance Chart
  

• Interpolation

• Round out for more conservative figures

• Effects of Air Density

• Reduced air density = reduced aircraft performance

• Longer takeoff roll

• Dimished propeller efficiency

• Variables that decrease air density:

• Low pressure

• High temperature

• High humidity

• Density Altitude

• Pressure altitude: Altitude corrected for nonstandard pressure

• Density altitude: Pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature

• At standard temperature, pressure altitude = density altitude

• When the actual temperature exceeds the standard temperature, the density altitude can be substantially higher than the field elevation; aircraft performs as though they were at the higher elevation

• Effects of Density Altitude

• High, hot and humid = high density altitude

• Calculating Density Altitude

1. Find the pressure altitude correcting for nonstandard pressure

2. Subtract the conversion factor from the field elevation to determine the pressure altitude

3. Locate the temperature at bottom of the chart and move up until you intercept the diagonal pressure altitude line

4. Move left and find the density altitude?

2. Factors of Takeoff and Landing Performance

• Aircraft Weight

• Aircraft Flap Configuration

• Takeoff - greater lift

• Landing - reduced approach speed, steepened glide path, and lower?touchdown speed

• Headwind Component

• Reduce takeoff ground roll

• Shorten the landing roll

• Tailwind Component

• Much more takeoff distance

• A 9 knots headwind reduces the takeoff distance by 10 percent

• A 9 knots tailwind increases the takeoff distance by 45%

• Smaller effects on landing distance

• Crosswind Component

• Depends on its net wind

• Determining Headwind and Tailwind Components

• Runway Gradient

• Usually expressed as a percent

• Positive gradient is unfavorable for takeoff

• Positive gradient is favorable for landing

• Negative gradiant decreases takeoff distance

• Negative gradient increases landing distance

• Runway Surface

• Performance data is based a paved, level runway with a smooth, dry surface

• Adjust the takeoff and landing distances for any other runway surface

3. Calculating Takeoff and Landing Performance

• Takeoff Performance Table

• Takeoff Performance Graph

• Landing Performance Table

• Landing Performance Graph

4. Factors of Climb Performance

• Climb Airspeeds:

• Best angle-of-climb (Vx)?

• Used for obstacle clearance immediately after takeoff

• Provides the greatest altitude gain in the shrtest distance

• Best rate-of-climb (Vy)

• Used when aircraft has cleared all obstacles after takeoff

• Provides the greatest altitude gain in a given time

• Cruise climb airspeed?

• Generally higher than Vx or Vy

• Better engine cooling

• Better forward visibility

• Better forward speed (reduced time enroute)

• Absolute Ceiling and Service Ceiling

• As altitude increases:

• Vy increases

• Vy decreases

• Absolute ceiling is:

• Where Vx and Vy meet

• The point beyond which the aircraft cannot climb

• Service ceiling is:

• The altitude beyond which an aircraft can climb no more than one hundred feet per minute

5. Calculating Climb Performance

• Climb Performance Table
  

• Climb Performance Graph

6. Factors of Cruise Performance

• Cruise performance charts enable you to predict:

• Rate of fuel consumption

• True airspeed

• Range

• Endurance

• Trade-offs include:

• Time?

• Power

• Fuel consumption

• Speed

• Range

• Three Main Cruise Airspeeds

• Maximum level flight airspeed

• Occurs when the force of total drag equals the force of full thrust

• Further acceleration in level flight is not possible even with full power

• Maximum range airspeed

• Enables you fly the greatest distance per gallon of fuel

• Produces minimum total drag and the highest lift to drag ratio

• Maximum endurance airspeed

• Enables the aircraft to remain aloft for the longest period of time

• Achieves the minimum fuel use per hour

7. Calculating Cruise Performance

• Cruise Power Setting Table

• Best Power Mixture Range Graph

• Setting Engine Performance Table

• Cruising True Airspeed Graph