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The speed to fly is the optimum speed through sinking or rising air mass to achieve either the furthest glide, or fastest average cross-country speed. [1] Most speed to fly setups use units of either airspeed in kilometers per hour (km/h) and climb rate in meters per second (m/s), or airspeed in knots (kn) and climb rate in feet per minute (ft ...
The maximum range condition is obtained at maximum lift/drag ratio (L/DMAX) The maximal total range is the maximum distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing . Powered aircraft range is limited by the aviation fuel energy storage capacity (chemical or electrical) considering both weight and volume limits. [ 1 ]
This is the speed at which drag is minimised. For jet aircraft, "long-range cruise" speed (LRC) is defined as the speed which gives 99% of the maximum range, for a given weight. This results in a 3–5% increase in speed. [8] It is also a more stable speed than maximum range speed, so gives less autothrottle movement. [9]
In practice all supersonic transports have used essentially the same shape for subsonic and supersonic flight, and a compromise in performance is chosen, often to the detriment of low speed flight. For example, Concorde had very high drag (a lift to drag ratio of about 4) at slow speed, but it travelled at high speed for most of the flight ...
Pilots sometimes fly at the aircraft's best L/D by precisely controlling airspeed and smoothly operating the controls to reduce drag. However the strength of the likely next lift, minimising the time spent in strongly sinking air and the strength of the wind also affects the optimal speed to fly. Pilots fly faster to get quickly through sinking ...
In Europe, the sporting (FAI) definition limits the maximum stalling speed to 65 km/h (40 mph) and the maximum take-off weight to 450 kg (992 lb), or 472.5 kg (1,042 lb) if a ballistic parachute is installed. The definition means that the aircraft has a slow landing speed and short landing roll in the event of an engine failure.
In these transonic speed ranges, compressibility causes a change in the density of the air around an airplane. During flight, a wing produces lift by accelerating the airflow over the upper surface. This accelerated air can, and does, reach supersonic speeds, even though the airplane itself may be flying at a subsonic airspeed ( Mach number < 1.0).
The aerodynamic heating caused will vary accordingly: it is much less for a flight with a maximum speed of only 1 km/s than for one with a maximum speed of 7 or 8 km/s. [ citation needed ] The minimum delta-v and the corresponding maximum altitude for a given range can be calculated, d , assuming a spherical Earth of circumference 40 000 km and ...