The Cruise Weight Fraction is a measure used in aviation to express the remaining weight of an aircraft at the conclusion of the cruise phase, relative to its initial takeoff weight. It provides insight into the efficiency of the aircraft’s fuel consumption during the cruise, with a higher fraction indicating better fuel efficiency and longer endurance. A higher Cruise Weight Fraction indicates better fuel efficiency during the cruise phase of flight, leading to a longer range for the aircraft. Conversely, a lower fraction suggests higher fuel consumption and a reduced overall range. The formula to calculate the Cruise weight fraction as follows:
Where:
- V is the velocity at (L/D)max in m/s.
- (L/D)max is the maximum L/D ratio.
- Wcruise fraction is the Cruise Fraction weight for jet aircraft.
- R is the Range in m
- C is the Specific Fuel consumption in kg/Ws.