Thrust Coefficient For a Piston Engine Aircraft Calculator

Piston engines, also known as reciprocating engines, generate thrust through the conversion of power produced by the combustion of fuel and air into rotational motion of the engine’s crankshaft. The thrust produced by a piston engine is typically calculated in terms of the power produced and the efficiency of the propulsion system.

The thrust coefficient is defined as the ratio of the thrust force produced by the propulsion system to the dynamic pressure of the incoming air. Mathematically, it is expressed as:

where,

where:

• C_T​ is the thrust coefficient,
• $T$ is the thrust force,
• $\rho$ is the air density,
• $V$ is the airspeed,
• $A$ is the reference area.