AIRCRAFT

CHARACTERISTICS
(B-Section)

Instructor: SATISH

AIRCRAFT
CHARACTERISTICS
These are important to the airport
planner and designer.
Type of propulsion
Size of aircraft
Min turning radius

Min circling radius

Speed of aircraft
Capacity of aircraft
Aircraft weight and wheel
configuration
Jet blast
Fuel spillage
Noise.

Type of propulsion

Operative altitude of aircraft depends

up on

Type of engine

Propulsive power available to aircraft

Piston engines low altitudes

Turbo jet or turbo propulsions low to

high altitudes

Ram jets used in missiles at middle

altitudes

Type of propulsion
Engine

Speed limit kmph

Piston

250 to 750

Jet (ramjet)

1280 to 2400

Rocket

4600

The

size

of

aircraft,

minimum

circling

radius, speed, weight carrying capacity etc

depends on type of propulsion.
the length of runway also depends on

Propulsion may be through any type of engine

Piston engine, jet engine (turbo jet, turbo

propulsion or ram jet) or rocket engine etc.

Piston most conventional form, fuel is

converted to mechanical or electrical energy

Jet these have a capacity to provide a jet

with a height thrust, which is used for
movement.

Different types of jet engines exist. In case

of turbo, jet known as turbo propulsion is
used. Here not simple thrust is used, instead
huge

amount

of

air

is

sucked,

and

is

Size of Aircraft

Size of Aircraft involves

Wing span
Fuselage length
Height

Distance between main gears

Wheel base
Tail width

Cont
..
Wing span
Measured at the location of wings to the
furthest ends of wings
Wing span decides
Width of taxi way
Clearance between two parallel traffic ways
Size of apron and hanger
Width of hanger gate

Cont.
.

Length of aircraft decides

Widening of taxi way on curves
Sizes of apron and hanger
Height of aircraft or empennage
height
It decides the height of hanger gate
The gear tread and wheel base
Min turning radius of the aircraft.

Fuselage length

From

nose of the aircraft to the tail of the

aircraft
Fuselage

is the area which contains the fuel

which is to be transported along the aircraft,

which is used along the path, contains
payload and that is the passengers and the
freight that will also be placed within the
fuselage length.

Height and width (at tail)

 Gear tread (distance between main gears)

Wheel base
Distance between nose gear (pilots
location) and main gear(at wings
connection)

Gear tread and wheel base affect the

minimum turning radius of an aircraft.

Min turning radius

While making a turn, the nose gear is steered

and hence it makes an angle with the axis of
main gear called angle of rotation.

The point of intersection of axis of main gear

and line through axis of steered nose gear is
called point of rotation.

Max angle varies between 50 to 60 degrees

The line joining the centre of rotation and the tip

of farthest wing of aircraft is known as

 Min turning radius

A line is drawn through the axis of nose
gear when it is at its max angle of rotation.
Theoretically max angle of rotation is 900
It will causes the skidding
Because it is producing excessive wear.
Max angle of nose gear limited 500 to 600
for turbo jet.

Minimum Circling radius

Related to movement of aircraft with in the
air
Radius in space required for the aircraft to
take a smooth turn
It is the total radius which is provided at
the top of the air port in which the aircraft
will be circling if it is not allowed to land.

Min circling radius

Min radius required in space depends
Type of aircraft
Traffic volume
Weather conditions
The diff radii for diff types of aircraft
Small gear aviation aircraft under UFR
condition

=1.6 Km

Bigger aircraft, say two piston engine

under VFR condition
=3.2 Km
Piston engine aircraft under IFR =13
Km
Jet engine aircraft under IFR
Km

=80

Speed of Aircraft
It is split into two ways
Cruising speed or ground speed: It is the
speed of air craft with respect to the ground
when the aircraft flying in air at its max speed.
Air speed: It is the speed of aircraft relative
to the wind.
Ex: If the aircraft is moving with a speed of 500kmph
and wind speed is 50kmph then air speed is
450kmph.

Weight of Aircraft & wheel

configuration

Wt of Aircraft directly influence the length of runway

and structural requirements, i.e. thickness of runway,
taxiway, apron and hangers.
Different types of weights
Maximum gross take-off weight
Total amount of weight when it is taking off from
runway
Maximum standard landing weight
Fuel consumed during transport will be deducted from
take-off weight

 Operating empty weight

Operating at zero pay load
Pay load
Load for which revenues are generated
(passengers + freight)
Zero-fuel weight
Air craft reaching destination and fuel is
getting empty
Note: (maximum is taken considering biggest
aircraft allowed at airport)

 Wheel

configuration

defines

how

the

weight will be transferred to the bottom

More the no of wheels, lesser the stress,

hence less thickness enough.
Different

wheel

combinations

available

based on size of aircraft.

Single tandem, duel tandem and multi axle
tandems are used based on the size and
weight of air craft.

Capacity of air craft

No of passengers and amount of
cargo it can handle
Dependant on
Size
Propulsive power of aircraft
Speed of air craft

Jet blast
High velocity Aircraft it will eject the hot

exhaust gases at the rear of air craft to provide

a force for movement
If we consider the case where air craft is

standing and jet blast is coming from back

side, it is so hot and creates inconvenience to
the passengers
The velocity of jet blast may be high as

300kmph

 The severity depends on

Height of tail pipe
Angle of tail pipe
Hence, blast fences are needed to control
the damage to the pavements

Fuel spillage
It is very diff to avoid the fuel spillages at
loading aprons and hanger.
Bitumen pavement are affected by the
fuel spillage.
But it should bring within min limit.
So that constant supervision is required at
fuel inlets, engines and main landing gear.

Noise
Noise generated by Aircraft create
problem.
Layout and capacity depend on it.
It should be min as per as possible.
It is regulated by FAA (Federation
Aviation Agency).

AIRPORT PLANNING AND

LAYOUT

AIRPORT SITE SELECTION

Factors for selection of a suitable site:
Regional plan
Airport use
Proximity to other airports
Ground accessibility
Topography
Obstructions
visibility

Cont..
Wind
Noise nuisance
Grading, drainage and soil characteristics
Future development
Availability of utilities from town
Economic considerations

Regional plan

The site should fit for regional plan

Forming it an integral part of the
national network of airport.

Airport use

Selection is depend on type use

whether for civilian or for military
operations.
In emergency civilian airports also

Proximity to other
airports

The site should be considerable from

the exiting airports.
So that landing in one airport does not
interfere with the other airport.
Min spacing have been suggested:
For airports serving small
aircraft under VFR condition
=3.2 Km

aviation

For aircraft serving bigger aircraft, say

two piston engine under VFR condition

=6.4 Km
For aircraft operating piston engine

aircraft under IFR =25.6 Km

For aircraft operating Jet engine aircraft

under IFR

=160 Km

Ground accessibility
Site should be selected that it is readily
accessible to the users.
Passenger time is more concerned rather
than the actual time in air travel.
The time required to reach an airport not
exceeds 30 minutes.
It should be located adjacent to the main
highway.

Topography
It includes like ground contours, trees,
streams.
A raised ground usually considered for airport.
Reasons:
Less obstructions in approach zones
Natural drainage
More uniform wind
Better visibility.

Obstructions
For landing or take off, long clearance
areas are provided on either side of
runway known as approach areas.
These structures are controlled by
zoning laws.

Visibility
The site should be free from visibility
reducing conditions like fog, smoke.

Wind
Runway is oriented by wind data.
Wind data i.e. direction, duration and
intensity collected over a min 5 yrs.

Noise nuisance
Noise depends on type of propulsion
and gross wt of aircraft.
The problem is more with jet engine.
So

that

area

should

away

residential and industrial area.

from

Grading, drainage and soil

characteristics
Grading

and

drainage

play

an

important role in the construction

and maintenance of airport.
Previous materials i.e. gravel, sand
soils

are

construction.

suitable

for

aircraft

Future development
Air

traffic

volume

will

continue

to

increase in future,
More no. of runways provided.
More no. of facilities for processing of

passengers, baggage and cargo.

Zoning laws implemented to prevent

growth of undesirable structures with in

the area.

Availability of utilities
from town
Airport

has

facilities like :
water supply
Sewer
Telephone
electricity

to

be

provided

with

Economic considerations
The estimate should be prepared for
various site that includes land cost,
clearing and grading of land, drainage,
removal

of

hazards,

paving,

turfing,

lighting, construction of buildings, access

roads and automobile parking areas.
Select from one of from above which is
economical for us.