Ideal Thrust (F_ideal) for a piston engine in aircraft design represents the theoretical maximum thrust that a piston engine can produce under ideal conditions. Unlike jet engines, which rely on exhaust gases for thrust, piston engines generate thrust by driving a propeller.
The formula for ideal thrust for a piston engine can be expressed as:
- F_ideal is the ideal thrust in newtons (N).P is the effective brake horsepower (BHP) of the engine, which represents the engine’s power output in horsepower (hp).
- A is the propeller’s efficiency factor, which is dimensionless and typically ranges from 0 to 1, representing how efficiently the propeller converts engine power into thrust.
- V is the airspeed of the aircraft in meters per second (m/s).