D

Thrust Data for

Performance
Calculations
TURBOJETS

Engine data, for several sample engines, are given for J-60, J52, JT9D-
3, JT8D-9, TF-30, TFE731-2, GE F404-400, FJ-44, Allison T-56 turbo-
prop, and AVCO Lycoming I0-540 reciprocating engines. Although all
these engines are somewhat dated and all have been superceded to give
higher thrust and better fuel consumption, they do represent typical
performance trends. As is clearly seen, the thrust and specific fuel
consumption (SFC) curves vary widely with speed and altitude. Thus,
there are no general-duty expressions available that would permit car-
rying out easy and simple performance calculations. However, several
approximate expressions, shown below, have been used with some en-
gineering success. As a first-order rough approximation, engine thrust
can be scaled linearly (for similar engines) and the fuel consumption
can be decreased by at least 5 percent.
The process consists of curve-fitting the thrust equation as a function
of altitude, velocity, or both. Each engine may require its own special
curve-fitting expression and may have to be accomplished in a piece-
wise fashion over the velocity and/or altitude range.

Jet Engines
For subsonic flight the simplest correlation is
267
Aircraft Performance. Maido Saarlas
© 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-470-04416-2
268 THRUST DATA FOR PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS

Figure D.1 Pratt and Whitney J-60 Turbojet Engine

T ⫽ Tref ␴ (D.1)

where Tref may be taken as To, the sea level thrust value.
A somewhat improved expression is

Figure D.2 AVCO Lycoming IO-540 Reciprocating Engine

 TURBOJETS 269

Figure D.3 AVCO Lycoming IO-540 Reciprocating Engine

T ⫽ Tref ␴ n (D.2)

which is often written as

T
⫽ ␴n h ⬍ 36,089 ft
To
⫽␴ h ⬎ 36,089 ft

A better correlation, but more cumbersome to curve fit and to use, is

T
⫽ (A ⫹ BV 2)␴ (D.3)
To

The advantage of Eq. D.3 lies in taking into account the realistic
thrust variation with velocity. Usually this is not very significant at
higher altitudes and velocities but may be 10 percent or more during
270 THRUST DATA FOR PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS

Figure D.4 Pratt and Whitney TF-30 Turbofan Engine

the take-off portion of flight (see TF-30 and JT9D data). At higher
speeds, another correlation that has been used is

T
⫽ (1 ⫹ cM)␴ (D.4)
To

where, typically, .25 ⬍ c ⬍ .5.

Specific fuel consumption varies with both altitude and velocity and
defies generalization with both of those parameters. It has been found
that the velocity effect can be correlated for some engines, very ap-
proximately, by

TSFC
⫽ 1 ⫹ .5M (D.5)
TSFCref
 TURBOJETS 271

Figure D.5 Williams / Rolls FJ-44 Turbofan Engine

Reciprocating Engines
Reciprocating engines admit more generalizations:

• BHP is independent of velocity V.

• SFC tends to be independent of both velocity and altitude.

For engine brake horsepower, the commonly accepted altitude vari-

ation is
272 THRUST DATA FOR PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS

Figure D.6 Garrett TFE-731-2 Turbofan Engine

BHP
⫽ 1.132␴ ⫺ .132 (D.6)
BHPo

where subscript o refers to the sea-level value.

For supercharged engines, it is assumed that BHP remains constant
to at least 25,000 ft altitude. Correlations used for higher altitude su-
percharged engines are:

BHP
⫽ ␴ .765, h ⬍ 36,089 ft
BHPo
⫽ 1.331␴, h ⬎ 36,089 ft (D.7)
 TURBOJETS 273

Figure D.7 GE F404-400 Installed Performance

274 THRUST DATA FOR PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS

Figure D.8 Pratt and Whitney JT8D-9 Turbofan Engine

Figure D.9 Pratt and Whitney JT9D-3 Turbofan Engine

 TURBOJETS 275

Figure D.10 Pratt and Whitney J52 Turbojet Engine

Figure D.11 Allison T-56-A Turboprop Engine, Horsepower

276 THRUST DATA FOR PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS

Figure D.12 Allison T-56-A Turboprop Engine, Thrust

Figure D.13 Allison T-56-A Turboprop Engine, Specific Fuel Consumption