Performance Flashcards
Gross performance vs measured performance
“Performance” here means any data point regarding an aircraft’s performance.
Gross performance is the expected mean for the fleet, measured performance reflects the pre-production aircraft and is expected to be better.
Gross performance is estimated from measured performance by “factoring”.
Acceptable performance criteria
One in a million chance of commercial air transport craft being in a situation as a result of failure to achieve required performance standard.
This is called “net performance”.
Difference between net performance and gross performance
This is our safety margin. It includes the fact that performance of an individual aircraft is somewhere in a normal curve, whilst the gross performance reflects the mean.
Net performance is what we use in calculations to achieve required safety margins.
Impact of event likelihood on safety margins
The 1 in a million standard is a combination of likelihood of being in a situation and failure to meet performance standard. So unlikely events (engine failure) result in lower safety margins than likely events (full engine climb).
Events with less than 1 in a million chance (e.g. 2 of 4 engines failing) have no safety margin.
Commercial vs private performance figures
CS25 aircraft are all intended for public use so published figures are net performance.
CS23 will generally be gross performance (50:50 chance of being worse or better than this!). Must be adjusted to net performance for public use, whilst this is advisory for private flight.
Performance Classes
Clearway requirements
- shape
- width
- max slope
- obstacles
Rectangular
>500ft wide
Upward slope <= 1.25%
No protruding object or terrain, except lights if 26in or less above the runway and to each side of it.
TODA
TORA + Clearway
ASDA
TORA + Stopway
Balanced field
TODA = ASDA
(i.e. stopway = clearway)
Balanced field take off
- description
- effect of added clearway/stopway
TODR = ASDR [note: required]
Maximises mass by using choosing a V1 that balances ASD and TOD requirements.
Extra clearway allows lower V1 (longer at OEI speed) to increase mass.
Extra stopway allows higher V1 (longer stopping distance) to increase mass.
Amendments to TODA
- Class A
Max TODA = 1.5 x TORA
So clearway over 50% of runway length can’t be fully used.
Amendments to TODA
- Class B
If no stopway or clearway, can only use TORA / 1.25.
With a stopway or clearway minimum of:
i) TORA
ii) TODA / 1.15
iii) ASDA / 1.3
Line-up distance adjustments
May be required for class A aircraft where there isn’t sufficient take off threshold or turning apron.
Accommodates a 90 degree or 180 degree turn (as required).
[ASDA adjusted to nosewheel, TODA to main gear]
Declared temperature
Average monthly temperature plus half the ISA deviation. Used for airlines in scheduling landings for performance calculations.
Flight path angle designations
We assume wing chord in line with longitudinal axis.
Correction for density altitude from pressure altitude
120ft per degree C (difference to ISA)
Rated Thrust levels
Maximum thrust levels:
i) Maximum T/O thrust
ii) Maximum continuous thrust
iii) Maximum go-around thrust
[Other limits such as climb thrust exist, but these are not rated thrusts]
Jet thrust vs speed
2 opposing factors - ram air effect at high speed increases mass of air and thus thrust, but increased drag reduces momentum of the air to offset this.
Traditional/standard low-bypass jets have a small thrust decrease to Mn 0.4 then recover. High bypass don’t benefit much from ram effect so thrust keeps decreasing with speed.
T/O thrust vs TOGA thrust
Difference is due to speed, take-off thrust is set at 40 to 80kt, TOGA is set at maybe 150 to 170kt.
Thrust limitations (jet)
Limited by Turbine Gas Temperature (TGT) and internal pressure in the engine.
Internal pressure limitation is constant, but TGT is dependent on OAT (the engine adds a certain amount of heat to the existing air temp).
Thus thrust is constant (pressure limited) up to a certain temperature, then decreases (TGT limited).
Jet power
Jet power = thrust x TAS
Generally thrust is constant so get a straight line relationship with TAS.
Fixed pitch propeller thrust with speed
Angle of attack of blade decreases as speed increases so thrust decreases with speed.
Propeller power
Power = thrust x TAS (same as jet)
However as thrust decreases with speed, get an “n” shaped chart with speed, where initially it increases from zero, then at some point starts to decrease.