RMIT Instructor Rating Mass Briefs Issue 1 /2004 Page 1 RANGE & ENDURANCE Aim: To learn the principles of range and endurance of an aircraft in flight. And the factors that effect these conditions. Application: - Long distance flying = maximum Range - Holding = maximum Endurance Revision: Power Drag Definitions: Range - air distance travelled for a given fuel burn off (distance) Endurance - time in flight for a given amount of fuel (time) Range Speed Endurance Speed Brief 30 RMIT Flight Training Range & Endurance RMIT Instructor Rating Mass Briefs Issue 1 /2004 Page 2 Principles: Maximum Range - Power is defined as: force velocity Preq = Treq TAS = D TAS P / TAS ratio = D TAS TAS = D Maximum Range occurs when Total Drag is a minimum! Maximum Endurance - Endurance is dependant on minimum fuel flow for given time in air. - Fuel flow depends upon power setting. So minimum fuel flow occurs at minimum power for S&L flight. Maximum Endurance occurs at minimum power! Brief 30 RMIT Flight Training Range & Endurance RMIT Instructor Rating Mass Briefs Issue 1 /2004 Page 3 Considerations: Airspeed - = decreased R and decreased E - = decreased R and decreased E Weight - = decreased R (L fly faster or AoA D) - = decreased E (W = req FF) - = increased R and decreased E Wind - HW = decreased R and no change to E - TW = increased R and no change to E Power - = decreased R ( TAS constant /TAS) - = decreased E ( FF) - = decreased R and decreased E (can’t maintain S&L ) Altitude - = increased R (ALT, D/TAS) - = decreased E (ALT, and FF) - = decreased R and increased E Airmanship: - Set power according to cruise tables in POH - Lean mixture in cruise - Never exceed MTOW or VNE RMIT Flight Training Range & Endurance