APPLICATION OF THE CALCULUS OF VARIATIONS IN DETERMINING OPTIMUM FLIGHT PROFILES FOR COMMERCIAL SHORT HAUL AIRCRAFT

Presented is a technique using the steepest descent method in the calculus of variations for determining the optimal flight profile of a short haul commercial aircraft. A hypothetical short haul tilt wing VTOL aircraft with a design range of 200 statute miles is used to demonstrate the technique. The aircraft flight profile was optimized for a 50 mile flight. The initial and final velocity, flight path angle, and altitude were all specified.

• Corporate Authors:

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  77 Massachusetts Avenue
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02139
• Authors:
  • Gallant, R A
• Publication Date: 1967-2

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aircraft; Approach; Calculus of variations; Descent; Glide path systems; Optimization; Short haul; VTOL aircraft
• Old TRIS Terms: Final approach
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00073589
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: FLIGHT TRANSPORTATION LABORATORY, MIT DEPT. OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS
• Report/Paper Numbers: None
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 5 1974 12:00AM