Specific fuel consumption (C) for a jet engine, in the context of range, is a measure of the amount of fuel a jet engine consumes per unit of thrust produced while covering a certain distance. It indicates the engine’s efficiency in converting fuel into thrust during a flight, with lower values representing more fuel-efficient performance for a given range. lower specific fuel consumption (C) leads to greater fuel efficiency, extending the aircraft’s range, while higher C values result in reduced range due to less efficient fuel usage. The formula to calculate C as follows:
Where:
- is the specific fuel consumption.
- is the velocity at (L/D)max in m/s
- is the maximum lift-to-drag ratio.
- is the initial weight of the aircraft in kg.
- is the final weight of the aircraft in kg.
- is the range of the aircraft.