Next: How Big Is the Plane?
Basic Considerations for Wing Size
Wing Loading & Thrust to Weight Issues
Aerospace and
Ocean Engineering
from Sandusky, Northrop (He has the patent on the YF-23)
slide 1
2/21/11
Basic Considerations for Wing Size
Wing weight is important
Integrate Aerodynamics and Structures for
minimum weight design
Wing loading is an important design parameter
- driven by two opposing requirements
Can define problem reasonably well
Aerospace and
Ocean Engineering
slide 2
2/21/11
Wing Size and Wing Loading Issues
Consider Wing Loading to Find Wing Area
Cruise: Specific Range (sr), best range formula, drag rise neglected
1/ 2
1.07 (W / S )
{ AR E}1/ 4 1
best sr =
3/ 4
sfc
W
C
{ D}
0
From Hale, Intro to A/C Perf
Increase: W/S, altitude (decreases ) , AR, E (L/D)
Decrease: zero lift drag, weight (W), sfc
Here: HIGH W/S is desired
Aerospace and
Ocean Engineering
slide 3
2/21/11
Wing Loading Considerations (Contd)
Sustained Maneuvering
q
T
n=
ARE CD0
qS
(W / S)
Takeoff (feet)
lt = 37.7 TOP,
(W / S)
TOP =
CLmax ( T / W )
(from Loftin, NASA RP 1060)
Landing
W/S
VAPP = 17.15
,
CLAPP
Aerospace and
Ocean Engineering
(knots)
Here: LOW W/S is desired
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2/21/11
Thrust to Weight and Wing Loading
Engine size (or thrust to weight, T/W)
based on sizing the engine to meet constraints
typically established by the Specs weve discussed
Wing size (or wing loading, W/S)
also based on meeting key requirements
T/W - W/S charts are typically used
putting all the constraints on the plot lets
you select the best combination
Often the wing is allowed to be bigger,
- to allow for future growth
Prop Airplanes use Power Loading, W/P in place of T/W
see L.K. Loftin, Jr.,pages 358-360, Subsonic Aircraft: Evolution
and the Matching of Size to Performance, NASA RP 1060, Aug.
1980, for examples for prop airplanes.
Aerospace and
Ocean Engineering
slide 5
2/21/11
Thrust Loading and Wing Loading Matching
CLmax
Aerospace and
Ocean Engineering
from L.K. Loftin, Jr., Subsonic Aircraft: Evolution and the
Matching of Size to Performance, NASA RP 1060, Aug. 1980
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2/21/11
Thumbprint Plot for an HSCT
Min w/o
constraints
from NASA TM 4058:
Aerospace and
Ocean Engineering
note decreasing scale for W/S in this example
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2/21/11
Example of Constraint Lines
(approximate examples, be able to derive your own)
37.7 W / S)Takeoff
Takeoff: T / W)
CLmax TO sTOFL
Landing: W / S) 2.8 CL
max Ldg
Cruise (T = D):
T / W) = q
CD0
(W / S)cruise
sldgfl
(W / S)cruise
qARE
Climb gradient requirements:
1
N
CGR +
T / W) =
N 1
L / D
where, = sea level
Note: convert T/W to M=0, h=0 values, W/S to takeoff values
N is number of engines, CGR is the climb gradient, q implies best
altitude, Mach, and L/D should be for correct flight condition.
Aerospace and
Ocean Engineering
slide 8
2/21/11
BTW, Transport Propulsion Sizing
There is another important constraint for transports:
The airplane must meet the initial cruise altitude requirement
- at the initial cruise altitude (about 98% of TOGW), the socalled top of climb, airplane must still have a specified
rate of climb (500 or 300 ft/min)
According to the book by Jenkinson, Simpkin and
Rhodes, Civil Jet Aircraft Design,
Twin-engine aircraft are likely to be secondsegment climb critical
Four-engine aircraft are likely to be climb critical
(top of climb performance)
Aerospace and
Ocean Engineering
slide 9
2/21/11