NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Design of short haul aircraft for fuel conservationCurrent jet fuel prices of twice the 1972 level have significantly changed the characteristics of airplane design for best economy. The results of a contract with the NASA Ames Advanced Concepts and Missions Division confirmed the economic desirability of lower design cruise speeds and higher aspect-ratio wings compared to designs developed in the by-gone era of low fuel price. Evaluation of potential fuel conservation for short-haul aircraft showed that an interaction of airfoil technology and desirable engine characteristics is important: the supercritical airfoil permits higher aspect ratio wings with lower sweep; these, in turn, lower the cruise thrust requirements so that engines with higher bypass ratios are better matched in terms of lapse rate; lower cruise speeds (which are also better for fuel and operating cost economy) push the desired bypass ratio up further. Thus, if fuel prices remain high, or rise further, striking reductions in community noise level can be achieved as a fallout in development of a 1980s airplane and engine. Analyses are presented of developmental trends in the design of short-haul aircraft with lower cruise speeds and higher aspect-ratio wings, and the effects on fuel consumption of design field length, powered lift concepts, and turboprop as well as turbofan propulsion are discussed.
Document ID
19750056430
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Bowden, M. K.
Sweet, H. S.
(Lockheed-Georgia Co. Marietta, Ga., United States)
Waters, M. H.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 8, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1975
Subject Category
Aircraft Design, Testing And Performance
Report/Patent Number
SAE PAPER 750587
Meeting Information
Meeting: Society of Automotive Engineers, Air Transportation Meeting
Location: Hartford, CT
Start Date: May 6, 1975
End Date: May 8, 1975
Sponsors: Society of Automotive Engineers
Accession Number
75A40502
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available