Max Range A320 Ferry
Given zero wind for this Still Air exercise.
Given an optimum fuel burn of the A320
Say if you had to ferry an empty one from A to B
Dist: 5250 miles.
I worked out the optimum speed based on the optimum gross ff and specific ff.
down to x kg/ground nautical mile.
So we`ll fly that with an alternate before TOD and and alternate around Dest.
My question therefore is - does anyone have any operational information on the difference between being full of pax and bags and being empty?
We are lighter by up to 18 tons.
Taking off with an empty weight f 41 T and a fuel weight of 19.3T then can we assume a straight climb up to cruise flight level and virtually no time to accell at cruise level to cruise speed compared to being fat`n`full`n`heavy.
With this in mind (LRC empty ferry) would you fill it up and project your 1st fuel top, or, would you take off with less fuel on the first leg (because you need two tonnes for the climb any way - so if you are less fuel you will use less for the climb, carry less and all the rest of it . . . less?
So there are 2 ways of doing it.
Either you do perf climbs and cruise with little weight and stop for fuel.
Or you tank up to the gunnels and sit there until first fuel stop.
(Those of you wishing to define "sitting there" - don`t bother answering)