919. Empty Weight and Cruise Performance of Very Large Subsonic Jet Transports
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Paper
Abstract
Recent developments in long range subsonic jet transportation have resulted in the design and operation of very large aircraft. Traffic predictions for succeeding decades suggest a need for even larger aircraft and the feasibility of such types is very dependent upon the achievable empty weight ratio. This paper is concerned with an empirical examination of the weight trends in subsonic jet transports and their extrapolation to the case of aircraft of over twice the gross
weight of current types. Using these extrapolations the cruise performance of very large subsonic transports is predicted and their operational feasibility examined.
The main items which go to make up the empty weight are dealt with individually in order that the effect of size on each can be established. Existing standards of the aerodynamic and propulsion design are assumed.
It is concluded that it would be feasible to produce an aircraft capable of carrying upto 1000 passengers over the great majority of transatlantic and similar route systems. Such an aircraft would have an empty weight ratio of about 0.5 which is somewhat higher that the existing family of aircraft. The gross weight would be about twice that of the largest aircraft now flying. If extreme range rather than payload is the criterion then the optimum aircraft size is relatively small, being of the order of 200,000 lbs gross weight.
