Could adding fuel ever decrease range?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: earth
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Could adding fuel ever decrease range?
As the question states, could adding fuel ever decrease the range of an aircraft, our class is having a pretty large debate on this topic and we'd like your input please.
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
Well, it costs about 3% per hour of the added fuel weight; that is, it is impossible to reduce range EXCEPT if you put in drop tanks. The A10 lost range when the third tank was used, the second tank might have 100 nm. Hardly worth it.
GF
GF
Join Date: Sep 1998
Location: wherever
Age: 55
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In the real world it could, indirectly, due to air traffic systems and weather. In still air with no restrictions, no, because no matter how much useable fuel you add you will always use fuel to get to the lower fuel quantity and unless you dumped it, you used it to produce thrust and therefore range.
Your example implies 16 hours (500kg of 1000kg is 50% of the initial added fuel divided by 3% per hour equals 16.67 hours) which is about the longest flight time. On profile that might reduce range is when the added fuel causes a route change or causes the cruise level to be off the flight plan.
GF
GF
yes - because of being blocked in at a lower level on a NATS track and once from the eastern med going westbound when we couldn't make flight plan level and were left at FL290 for several hours.
Also had it one time east bound where we were out of the narrow jet stream core and lost 60+knots of chuff wind.
Always worked on 4% per hour for the extra fuel tanked - take 10 tons extra fuel and at destination after 10 hrs you have 6 tons left.
Also had it one time east bound where we were out of the narrow jet stream core and lost 60+knots of chuff wind.
Always worked on 4% per hour for the extra fuel tanked - take 10 tons extra fuel and at destination after 10 hrs you have 6 tons left.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Herts, UK
Posts: 748
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Could adding fuel ever decrease range?
...rather than at the design stage, where of course, ultimately it's quite possible by preventing climbout or even take-off... overfuelling is theoretically possible, absolutely, taking extreme cases.
