Theory and Practice of Aircraft Performance

CHAPTER 7Aircraft Power Plant and Integration

7.1 Overview

The engine may be considered as the heart of any powered aircraft as a system. Because of its importance, this largish topic is divided into two chapters; Chapter 7 gives the fundamentals of the associated theories and installation details when integrated with aircraft. Chapter 8 deals purely with engine performance, without which aircraft performance analyses cannot be progressed; it includes uninstalled and installed thrust/power and fuel flow data for various types of engines.

This chapter starts with a brief introduction to the evolutionary past of engines, followed by classification of the types of engines available and their domain of application, some fundamentals of engine theory, installation details, nacelles and thrust reversers (TRs). Primarily, this chapter deals with gas turbines (both jet and propeller driven) and to a lesser extent piston engines, which are used only in small general aviation aircraft. Therefore, propeller theory performance is also included (the next chapter computes thrust developed by propellers).

7.2 Background

Gliders were flying long before the Wright brothers flew, but they could not install engines even when automobile piston engines were available – they were simply too heavy. Gustav Weisskopf made his own engine. The Wright brothers made their own light gasoline engine with the help of Curtiss. Up till World War II, aircraft were designed around available engines. Aircraft ...