Dr. Jan Roskam has authored eleven textbooks on airplane flight dynamics and airplane design. He is the author
of more than 160 papers on these topics. He is the Ackers Distinguished Professor of Aerospace Engineering at The
University of Kansas, where he teaches airplane design, stability and control. He has actively participated in
more than 36 major airplane programs. Dr. Roskam is president of DARcorporation (Design, Analysis and Research
Corporation), which develops and markets airplane design and analysis software, and is a successful private and
government consulting firm.
Summary
Airplane Design I - VIII has been internationally acknowledged as a practical reference that covers the art
and science of the entire airplane design and development process. Educators and industry practitioners across
the globe rely on this compilation as both a textbook and a key reference.
Airplane Design Part V: Component Weight Estimation is the fifth book in a series of eight volumes on airplane
design. The airplane design series has been internationally acclaimed as a practical reference that covers the
methodology and decision making involved in the process of designing airplanes. Educators and industry practitioners
across the globe rely on this compilation as both a textbook and a key reference.
Airplane Design Part V: Component Weight Estimation familiarizes the reader with the following fundamentals:
Class I method for estimating airplane component weights
Class I method for estimating airplane moments of inertia
Class II methods for detailed airplane component and grouping weights
V-n diagram methods
Class II method for structure weight
Class II method for powerplant weight
Class II method for fixed equipment weight
Data and methods for center of gravity location of individual components
Class II method for airplane moments and products of inertia
Data base for airplane component weights
Data base for airplane non-dimensional radii of gyration
The design methodology used in the development of the Advanced Aircraft Analysis (AAA) software program is based
on Airplane Design, Parts I - VIII, Airplane Flight Dynamics & Automatic Flight Controls, Parts I & II,
and Airplane Aerodynamics and Performance. AAA incorporates and coordinates the methods, statistical databases,
formulas, and relevant illustrations and drawings from these references.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF SYMBOLS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
1. INTRODUCTION
2. CLASS I METHOD FOR ESTIMATING AIRPLANE COMPONENT WEIGHTS
2.1 A METHOD FOR ESTIMATING AIRPLANE COMPONENT WEIGHTS WITH WEIGHT FRACTIONS
2.2 EXAMPLE APPLICATIONS
2.2.1 Twin Engine Propeller Driven Airplane
2.2.2 Jet Transport
2.2.3 Fighter
3. CLASS I METHOD FOR ESTIMATING AIRPLANE INERTIAS
3.1 ESTIMATING MOMENTS OF INERTIA WITH RADII OF GYRATION
3.2 EXAMPLE APPLICATIONS
3.2.1 Twin Engine Propeller Driven Airplane
3.2.2 Jet Transport
3.2.3 Fighter
4. CLASS II METHOD FOR ESTIMATING AIRPLANE COMPONENT WEIGHTS
4.1 A METHOD FOR ESTIMATING AIRPLANE COMPONENT WEIGHTS WITH WEIGHT EQUATIONS
4.2 METHODS FOR CONSTRUCTING V-n DIAGRAMS
4.2.1 V-n Diagram for FAR 23 Certified Airplanes
4.2.1.1 Determination of +lg stall speed
4.2.1.2 Determination of design cruising speed
4.2.1.3 Determination of design diving speed
4.2.1.4 Determination of design maneuvering speed
4.2.1.5 Determination of negative stall speed line
4.2.1.6 Determination of design limit load factor, nlim of gust load factor lines in Fig. 4.1
4.2.2 V-n Diagram for FAR 25 Certified Airplanes
4.2.2.1 Determination of +lg stall speed
4.2.2.2 Determination of design cruising speed
4.2.2.3 Determination of design diving speed
4.2.2.4 Determination of design maneuvering speed
4.2.2.5 Determination of design speed for maximum gust intensity
4.2.2.6 Determination of negative stall speed line
4.2.2.7 Determination of design limit load factor, nlim
4.2.2.8 Construction of gust load factor lines in Fig.4.2b
4.2.3 V-n Diagram for Military Airplanes
4.2.4 Example Application
4.2.4.1 Twin Engine Propeller Driven Airplane
4.2.4.2 Jet Transport
4.2.4.3 Fighter
4.3 EXAMPLE APPLICATIONS FOR CLASS II WEIGHT ESTIMATES
4.3.1 Twin Engine Propeller Driven Airplane
4.3.2 Jet Transport
4.3.3 Fighter
5. CLASS II METHOD FOR ESTIMATING STRUCTURE WEIGHT
5.1 WING WEIGHT ESTIMATION
5.1.1 General Aviation Airplanes
5.1.1.1 Cessna Method
5.1.1.2 USAF Method
5.1.1.3 Torenbeek Method
5.1.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
5.1.2.1 GD Method
5.1.2.2 Torenbeek Method
5.1.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
5.1.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
5.1.4.1 GD Method
5.2 EMPENNAGE WEIGHT ESTIMATION
5.2.1 General Aviation Airplanes
5.2.1.1 Cessna Method
5.2.1.2 USAF Method
5.2.1.3 Torenbeek Method
5.2.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
5.2.2.1 GD Method
5.2.2.2 Torenbeek Method
5.2.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
5.2.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
5.3 FUSELAGE WEIGHT ESTIMATION
5.3.1 General Aviation Airplanes
5.3.1.1 Cessna Method
5.3.1.2 USAF Method
5.3.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
5.3.2.1 GD Method
5.3.2.2 Torenbeek Method
5.3.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
5.3.3.1 GD Method
5.3.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
5.4 NACELLE WEIGHT ESTIMATION
5.4.1 General Aviation Airplanes
5.4.1.1 Cessna Method
5.4.1.2 USAF Method
5.4.1.3 Torenbeek Method
5.4.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
5.4.2.1 GD Method
5.4.2.2 Torenbeek Method
5.4.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
5.4.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
5.5 LANDING GEAR WEIGHT ESTIMATION
5.5.1 General Aviation Airplanes
5.5.1.1 Cessna Method
5.5.1.2 USAF Method
5.5.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
5.5.2.1 GD Method
5.5.2.2 Torenbeek Method
5.5.3 Military Patrol1 Bomb and Transport Airplanes
5.5.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
6. CLASS II METHOD FOR ESTIMATING POWERPLANT WEIGHT
6.1 ENGINE WEIGHT ESTIMATION
6.1.1 General Aviation Airplanes
6.1.1.1 Cessna Method
6.1.1.2 USAF Method
6.1.1.3 Torenbeek Method
6.1.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
6.1.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
6.1.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
6.2 AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM WEIGHT ESTIMATION
6.2.1 General Aviation Airplanes
6.2.1.1 Cessna Method
6.2.1.2 USAF Method
6.2.1.3 Torenbeek Method
6.2.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
6.2.2.1 GD Method
6.2.2.2 Torenbeek Method
6.2.3 Military Patrol1 Bomb and Transport Airplanes
6.2.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
6.2.4.1 GD Method
6.3 PROPELLER WEIGHT ESTIMATION
6.3.1 General Aviation Airplanes
6.3.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
6.3.2.1 GD Method
6.3.2.2 Torenbeek Method
6.3.3 Military Patrol1 Bomb and Transport Airplanes
6.3.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
6.4 FUEL SYSTEM WEIGHT ESTIMATION
6.4.1 General Aviation Airplanes
6.4.1.1 Cessna Method
6.4.1.2 USAF Method
6.4.1.3 Torenbeek Method
6.4.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
6.4.2.1 GD Method
6.4.2.2 Torenbeek Method
6.4.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
6.4.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
6.5 PROPULSION SYSTEM WEIGHT ESTIMATION
6.5.1 General Aviation Airplanes
6.5.1.1 Cessna Method
6.5.1.2 USAF Method
6.5.1.3 Torenbeek Method
6.5.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
6.5.2.1 GD Method
6.5.2.2 Torenbeek Method
6.5.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
6.5.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
7. CLASS II METHOD FOR ESTIMATING FIXED EQUIPMENT WEIGHT
7.1 FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM WEIGHT ESTIMATION
7.1.1 General Aviation Airplanes
7.1.1.1 Cessna Method
7.1.1.2 USAF Method
7.1.1.3 Torenbeek Method
7.1.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
7.1.2.1 GD Method
7.1.2.2 Torenbeek Method
7.1.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
7.1.3.1 GD Method
7.1.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
7.1.4.1 GD Method
7.2 HYDRAULIC AND/OR PNEUMATIC SYSTEM WEIGHT ESTIMATION
7.3 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WEIGHT ESTIMATION
7.3.1 General Aviation Airplanes
7.3.1.1 Cessna Method
7.3.1.2 USAF Method
7.3.1.3 Torenbeek Method
7.3.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
7.3.2.1 GD Method
7.3.2.2 Torenbeek Method
7.3.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
7.3.3.1 GD Method
7.3.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
7.3.4.1 GD Method
7.4 WEIGHT ESTIMATION FOR INSTRUMENTATION, AVIONICS AND ELECTRONICS
7.4.1 General Aviation Airplanes
7.4.1.1 Torenbeek Method
7.4.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
7.4.2.1 GD Method (Modified)
7.4.2.2 Torenbeek Method
7.4.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
7.4.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
7.5 WEIGHT ESTIMATION FOR AIR-CONDITIONING, PRESSURIZATION, ANTI- AND DE-ICING SYSTEMS
7.5.1 General Aviation Airplanes
7.5.1.1 USAF Method
7.5.1.2 Torenbeek Method
7.5.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
7.5.2.1 GD Method
7.5.2.2 Torenbeek Method
7.5.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
7.5.3.1 GD Method
7.5.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
7.5.4.1 GD Method
7.6 WEIGHT ESTIMATION FOR THE OXYGEN SYSTEM
7.6.1 General Aviation Airplanes
7.6.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
7.6.2.1 GD Method
7.6.2.2 Torenbeek Method
7.6.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
7.6.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
7.6.4.1 GD Method
7.7 AUXILIARY POWER UNIT WEIGHT ESTIMATION
7.8 FURNISHINGS WEIGHT ESTIMATION
7.8.1 General Aviation Airplanes
7.8.1.1 Cessna Method
7.8.1.2 Torenbeek Method
7.8.2 Commercial Transport Airplanes
7.8.2.1 GD Method
7.8.2.2 Torenbeek Method
7.8.3 Military Patrol, Bomb and Transport Airplanes
7.8.3.1 GD Method
7.8.4 Fighter and Attack Airplanes
7.9 WEIGHT ESTIMATION OF BAGGAGE AND CARGO HANDLING EQUIPMENT
7.10 WEIGHT ESTIMATION OF OPERATIONAL ITEMS
7.11 ARMAMENT WEIGHT ESTIMATION
7.12 WEIGHT ESTIMATION FOR GUNS, LAUNCHERS AND WEAPONS PROVISIONS
7.13 WEIGHT ESTIMATION OF FLIGHT TEST INSTRUMENTATION
7.14 WEIGHT ESTIMATION FOR AUXILIARY GEAR
7.15 BALLAST WEIGHT ESTIMATION
7.16 ESTIMATING WEIGHT OF PAINT
7.17 ESTMATING WEIGHT OF Wetc
8. LOCATING COMPONENT CENTERS OF GRAVITY
8.1 C.G. LOCATIONS OF STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS
8.2 C.G. LOCATIONS OF POWERPLANT COMPONENTS
8.3 C.G. LOCATIONS OF FIXED EQUIPMENT
9. CLASS II WEIGHT AND BALANCE ANALYSIS
9.1 EFFECT OF MOVING COMPONENTS ON OVERALL AIRPLANE CENTER OF GRAVITY
9.2 EFFECT OF MOVING THE WING ON OVERALL AIRPLANE CENTER OF GRAVITY AND ON OVERALL AIRPLANE AERODYNAMIC CENTER
10. CLASS II METHOD FOR ESTIMATING AIRPLANE INERTIAS
11. REFERENCES
APPENDIX A: DATA SOURCE FOR AIRPLANE COMPONENT WEIGHTS AND FOR WEIGHT FRACTIONS
APPENDIX B: DATA SOURCE FOR NONDIMENSIONAL RADII OF GYRATION FOR AIRPLANES
12. INDEX
