In flight mechanics, “thrust at a specific altitude” refers to the amount of force generated by an aircraft’s engines to overcome aerodynamic drag and maintain level flight or a specific flight condition at a given altitude above sea level. This thrust is essential for an aircraft’s propulsion and its ability to control its speed, climb, or descend.
T = T0- λh
- T: Thrust at a specific altitude.
- T0: Sea-level thrust (thrust at zero altitude or sea level).
- λ: Thrust lapse rate or specific thrust consumption rate, which indicates how much thrust decreases per unit increase in altitude.
- h: Altitude above sea level.