Thrust Required During Level Flight: This is the force or thrust that the aircraft’s engines must produce to balance the forces acting on the aircraft in level flight. In level flight, there are several forces acting on the aircraft.
- : This represents the thrust required during level flight. It’s the amount of thrust needed to maintain a constant speed in the absence of acceleration. Thrust is typically measured in pounds (lbs) or newtons (N).
- : This is the reference thrust at a specified reference airspeed . It represents the thrust required at a specific speed. is also measured in pounds (lbs) or newtons (N).
- : This is the true airspeed at which you want to calculate the required thrust. True airspeed () is the actual airspeed of the aircraft through the air and can vary with altitude and other factors. It is typically measured in knots, meters per second, or other airspeed units.
- : This is the reference airspeed at which the reference thrust is defined. Like , is also measured in the same airspeed units.