Appendices : Data A : Aircraft Data File

A word of caution

The data in these table has been validated where possible but it still originates from manufacturers sources. The information requires careful interpretation since each manufacturer may define the data in a different way. For example, the methods used to obtain the quoted range may not be consistent between manufacturers who use different criteria to vary the payload and fuel reserve components.

The data in this file can be used to show the current values for a particular aircraft design parameter for use in initial sizing. The graph below shows the estimation of wing loading for a new 300 seat aircraft:-

As can be seen there is some variation in wing loading and hence wing area even for a specific aircraft size. Closer inspection of the data tables shows that lower values tend to be associated with the initial design and higher wing loadings are associated with growth derivatives of the initial design.

Many such investigations are possible using the data from the aircraft data tables that follow:-

• Initial estimate of approximate thrust to weight ratio (T/W)
• Initial estimate of tail sizes using tail volumes coefficients

The data is also useful for developing project specifications as it enables realistic targets to be set for parameters such field length for new designs. Finally, the performance and payload/range can be used to compare conceptual designs with existing aircraft.