"

Essential Formulae for AE201 Students

Note: All symbols have their usual meanings as used in the text. These essential formulas may be used on AE201 quizzes and exams with the instructor’s permission, in which case an official formula sheet will be provided.

  • Structural stress/strain relationships:

    \[ \sigma = \frac{T}{A} \quad \quad \epsilon = \frac{\sigma}{E} \]

  • Equation of state:

    \[ p = \varrho R T \]

  • Hydrostatic pressure in a stagnant fluid:

    \[ \nabla p = \varrho \vec{f}_{b} -\varrho g\, \vec{k} \]

  • Hydrostatic pressure in scalar form:

    \begin{eqnarray*} \frac{\partial p}{\partial x} & = & \varrho f_x \nonumber \\[18pt] \frac{\partial p}{\partial y} & = & \varrho f_y \nonumber \\[18pt] \frac{\partial p}{\partial z} & = & \varrho f_z -\varrho g \nonumber \end{eqnarray*}

  • Hydrostatic equation:

    \[ \frac{dp}{dz} = -\varrho g \]

  • Unique solutions to the hydrostatic equation:

    \[\]

    • For a constant-density fluid:

    \[ p + \varrho g z = \mbox{constant} \]

    • Pressure change with a linear thermal gradient with temperature lapse B between two heights {z_{1}} and {z_2}:

    \[ \frac{p_2}{p_1} = \left|\frac{T_0 - \alpha z_2}{T_0 - \alpha z_1}\right|^{g /R \alpha} \]

    • Pressure change with an isothermal temperature T_0 between two heights {z_{1}} and {z_2}:

    \[ \frac{p_2}{p_1} = \exp\bigg( \frac{ -g (z_2 - z_1)}{R T_0}\bigg) \]

  • Specific gravity SG of a liquid = \varrho/\varrho_{\rm H_2 0}

    \[\]

  • Specific weight {\gamma} of a liquid = \varrho g

    \[\]

  • Temperature conversions:

    \[\]

    • Convert temperature T to Kelvin K from Centigrade or Celsius ^{\circ}\mbox{C}:

    \[ \mbox{K} = \, ^{\circ}\mbox{C} + 273.15 \]

    • Convert temperature T to Rankine R from Fahrenheit ^{\circ}\mbox{F}:

    \[ \mbox{R} = \, ^{\circ}\mbox{F} + 459.67 \]

  • Speed of sound:

    \[ a = \sqrt{ \gamma R T} \]

  • Mach number:

    \[ M = \frac{V}{a} \]

  • Reynolds number based on length {l}:

    \[ Re = \frac{\varrho V l}{\mu} \]

  • Kinematic viscosity = \mu/\varrho
  • Shear stress in a Newtonian fluid:

    \[ { \tau=\mu \left( \frac{du}{dy} \right) } \]

  • Equations of a streamline:

    \begin{gather*} d\vec{l} \times \vec{V} = \vec{0} \\[12pt] \frac{dy}{dz}=\frac{v}{w},~~\frac{dz}{dx}=\frac{w}{u},~~\frac{dy}{dx}=\frac{v}{u} \end{gather*}

  • Continuity equation for a fluid:

    \[ \frac{\partial}{\partial t}\oiiint_{\cal{V}} \varrho \, d {\cal{V}} + \oiint_S \varrho \, \vec{V} \bigcdot d\vec{S} = 0 \]

  • Continuity equation in 1-D form:

    \[ \sum_{S}\rho  \, A  \, V = \overbigdot{m} = \rm{constant} \]

  • Momentum equation for a fluid:

    \[ \vec{F} = \oiiint_{\cal{V}} \varrho \vec{f} _b d{\cal{V}} -\oiint_S p dS + \vec{F}_{\mu} = \frac{\partial}{\partial t}\oiiint_{\cal{V}} \varrho \, \vec{V} d {\cal{V}} + \oiint_S (\varrho \, \vec{V} \bigcdot d\vec{S}) \vec{V} \]

  • Momentum equation in 1-D form:

    \[ F_{x} = - \left( p_{2} A_{2} - p_{1} A_{1} \right) + \overbigdot{m} \left( u_2 - u_1 \right) \]

  • The energy equation for a fluid:

    \begin{eqnarray*} \oiiint_{\cal{V}} \overbigdot{q} \varrho \, d {\cal{V}} + Q_{\mu} -\oiint_{S} (p d\vec{S}) \bigcdot \vec{V} + \oiiint_{\cal{V}} ( \varrho \vec{f}_b d{\cal{V}}) \bigcdot \vec{V} + \overbigdot{W}_{\mu} + \overbigdot{W}_{\rm mech} = && \nonumber \\ \frac{\partial}{\partial t} \oiiint_{\cal{V}} \varrho \left( e + \frac{V^2}{2} + g z\right) d{\cal{V}} + \oiint_{S} (\varrho \, \vec{V} \bigcdot d\vec{S}) \left( e + \frac{V^2}{2} + g z\right) & \nonumber \end{eqnarray*}

  • The energy equation for the single-stream system:

    \[ w_{\rm mech} = \frac{V_2^2 - V_1^2}{2} + g ( z_2 - z_1 ) + \left( \frac{p_2}{\varrho_2} - \frac{p_1}{\varrho_1} \right) \]

  • Bernoulli equation:

    \[ p + \frac{1}{2} \varrho \, V^2 + \varrho g z = \mbox{constant} \]

  • The hydraulic diameter of a pipe:

    \begin{equation*} D_h = \frac{4 \times \mbox{Area~of~cross-section}}{\mbox{Perimeter}} = \frac{4 A_c}{p} \end{equation*}

  • Pressure drop \Delta p_L for a pipe flow along a uniform diameter pipe of length L:

    \begin{equation*} \Delta p_L = \frac{1}{2} \varrho V_{\rm av}^2 \, f \left( \frac{L}{D} \right) \end{equation*}

  • Head loss for a pipe flow:

    \[ h_L = \frac{\Delta p}{\varrho \, g} \]

  • Pumping power for a pipe flow:

    \[ P = Q \, \Delta p \]

  • Area of a wing:

    \begin{equation*} S = 2 \int_{0}^{s} c \, dy = 2 \int_{0}^{b/2} c \, dy \end{equation*}

  • The aspect ratio of a wing:

    \begin{equation*} A\!R = \frac{b^2}{S} = \frac{4s^2}{S} = \frac{4s^2}{2 \displaystyle{\int_{0}^{s} c \, dy}} \end{equation*}

  • Mean aerodynamic chord (MAC) of a wing:

    \begin{equation*} {\rm MAC} = \overline{\overline{c}} = \frac{2 \displaystyle{\int_{0}^{s} c^2 dy}}{S} \end{equation*}

  • Free stream dynamic pressure:

    \[ q_{\infty} = \frac{1}{2} \varrho_{\infty} \, V_{\infty} ^2 \]

  • Aerodynamic coefficients for an airfoil section:

    \[\]

    • Lift coefficient, C_{l} = \displaystyle{\frac{L/ \mbox{unit~span}}{q_{\infty} c}} = \displaystyle{\frac{L'}{q_{\infty} c}}
    • Drag coefficient, C_{d} = \displaystyle{\frac{D/ \mbox{unit~span}}{q_{\infty} c}} = \displaystyle{\frac{D'}{q_{\infty} c}}
    • Moment coefficient at some point a, { C_{m_{a}} = \displaystyle{\frac{M_a/ \mbox{unit~span}}{q_{\infty} c^2}} = \displaystyle{\frac{M'_a}{q_{\infty} c^2} }}
  • Aerodynamic coefficients for a finite wing:

    \[\]

    • Lift coefficient, C_{L} = \displaystyle{\frac{L}{q_{\infty} S}}
    • Drag coefficient, C_{D} = \displaystyle{\frac{D}{q_{\infty} S}}
    • Moment coefficient about some point a, C_{M_{a}} = \displaystyle{\frac{M_a}{q_{\infty} S \overline{\overline{c}}}}
  • Induced drag coefficient of a finite wing:

    \[ C_{D_{i}} = \frac{(1 + \delta) {C_L}^2}{\pi \, A\!R} \]

  • The drag coefficient for an airplane:

    \[ C_D = C_{D_{0}} + \frac{ {C_L}^2}{\pi \, AR \, e} = C_{D_{0}} + k {C_L}^2 \]

  • General equations of motion of an airplane:

    \begin{eqnarray*} \mbox{$\parallel$ to flight path:} \quad && \hspace*{-7mm} \left(\frac{W}{g}\right) \frac{d V_{\infty}}{dt} = T \cos \epsilon - D - W \sin \theta \\[18pt] \mbox{$\perp$ to flight path:} \quad && \hspace*{-7mm} \left(\frac{W}{g}\right) \frac{V_{\infty}^2}{r_1} = L \cos \phi + T \sin \epsilon \cos \phi - W \cos \theta \\[18pt] \mbox{Horizontal plane:} \quad && \hspace*{-7mm} \left(\frac{W}{g}\right) \frac{(V_{\infty} \cos \theta)^2}{r_2} = L \sin \phi + T \sin \epsilon \sin \phi \end{eqnarray*}

  • Breguet endurance and range equations for a propeller aircraft:

    \[ E = \frac{ \eta_p}{{\rm BSFC}} \left(\frac{C_L^{\, 3/2}}{C_D}\right) \sqrt{2 \varrho S} \left( \frac{1}{\sqrt{W_0 - W_f}} - \frac{1}{\sqrt{W_0} } \right) \]

    \[ R = \frac{\eta_p}{{\rm BSFC}} \left( \frac{C_L}{C_D}\right) \ln \left( \frac{W_0}{W_0-W_f}\right) \]

  • Breguet endurance and range equations for a jet aircraft:

    \[ E = \frac{1}{{\rm TSFC}} \left( \frac{C_L}{C_D} \right) \ln \left(\frac{W_0}{W_0 - W_f} \right) \]

    \[ R = \frac{2}{{\rm TSFC}} \sqrt{ \frac{2}{\varrho S}} \left(\frac{C_L^{1/2}}{C_D} \right) \left( W_0^{1/2} - W_1^{1/2} \right) \]

  • Thrust produced by a turbojet:

    \[ T = \left(\overbigdot{m}_{\rm air} + \overbigdot{m}_{\rm f} \right) V_{j} - \overbigdot{m}_{\rm air} V_{\infty} \]

  • Thrust specific fuel consumption (TSFC):

    \[ {\rm TSFC} = c_t = \frac{\overbigdot{W}_{\rm f}}{T} \]

  • Brake power specific fuel consumption (BSFC):

    \[ {\rm TSFC} = c_p = \frac{\overbigdot{W}_{\rm f}}{P} \]

  • Propulsive efficiency for a jet-producing device:

    \[ \eta_{P} = \frac{2}{1+\left(\dfrac{V_{j}}{V_{\infty}}\right)} \]

  • The equivalent exit velocity of a rocket in terms of specific impulse:

    \[ V_{\rm eq} = I_{\rm sp} \, g_0 \]

  • Thrust equation for rocket:

    \[ T = \overbigdot{m} \, V_{\rm eq} \]

  • Rocket equation (with gravity loss term):

    \[ \Delta V = V_{\rm eq} \ln \left( \frac{M_0}{M_b} \right) - g_0 t_b \]

  • Mean equivalent exhaust velocity (for multiple boosters):

    \[ \overline{V}_{\rm eq} = \frac{ N_b \, \overbigdot{m}_b \, V_{{\rm eq}_{b}} + \overbigdot{m}_1 \, V_{{{\rm eq}_{1}}} }{ N_b \overbigdot{m}_b + \overbigdot{m}_1 } \]

  • Conversion factors:
    • 1 knot = 1.68781 ft/s
    • 1 knot = 0.51444 m/s
    • 1 mph = 0.44704 m/s
    • 1 mph = 1.46667 ft/s
    • 1 ft = 0.3048 m
    • 1 statute mile = 5,280 ft
    • 1 nautical mile = 6,076 ft
    • 1 hp = 550 ft-lb s^{-1}
  • Table of ISA Properties at MSL:
Property Symbol SI units USC units
Pressure p_0 1.01325\times10^{5} N m^{-2} 2116.4 lb ft^{-2}
Density \varrho_0 1.225 kg m{^{-3}} 0.002378 slugs ft{^{-3}}
Temperature T_0 15.0^{\circ}C = 288.15 K 59.0^{\circ}F  = 518.67 R
Dynamic viscosity \mu_0  1.789\times10^{-5} kg m^{-1} s^{-1} 3.737\times10^{-7}slug ft^{-1} s^{-1}
Speed of sound a_0 340.3 m s^{-1} 1116.47 ft s^{-1}
Gas constant R 287.057 J kg^{-1} K^{-1} 1716.49 ft-lb slug^{-1}R^{-1}
  • Moody chart for the estimation of the Darcy-Weisbach friction factor:

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License

Introduction to Aerospace Flight Vehicles Copyright © 2022–2026 by J. Gordon Leishman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book