The estimation of the performance of an aircraft requires calculations of quantities such as rate of climb, maximum speed, distance travelled while burning a given mass of fuel and length of runway required for take-off or landing. The aim of this book is to explain the principles governing the relations between quantities of this kind and the properties of the aircraft and its power plant. Thus the emphasis is on the development of simple analytical expressions which depend only on the basic aircraft properties such as mass, lift and drag coefficients and engine thrust characteristics. Although extensive numerical data are required for the most accurate estimates of performance in the later stages of a design, the use of such data is not considered here and the data required for use in the simple expressions to be derived are of the kind that would be readily available at the preliminary design stage of an aircraft. Only fixed wing aircraft are considered and the measurement of performance in flight is not discussed.

One of the authors (WAM) has given for many years a short course of lectures on aircraft performance to engineering students at the University of Cambridge. Experience with these lectures has drawn attention to the shortcomings of existing books and to the need for a new book with the aim stated above. The book follows the same approach as the lectures, although it covers a greater range of topics and these are examined in much greater detail. Little previous knowledge of aircraft is assumed and the level of mathematics required should be well within the capabilities of engineering students, even in their first year.