Looking for some common aircraft data
Feb 11, 2003 | 1:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 70
Looking for some common aircraft data
I am writing a small aviation program that uses Great Circle algorithm and determines the estimated time to fly from point A to point B.
Now I want to offer the user some preset aircraft types and speeds (e.g: Airbus A300 is 520mph). The user would simply need to pick the aircraft type and my program would tell him his estimated flying time.
So does anyone know what are the 10 or 15 most common aircrafts are, and what their normal cruising speeds are? If you know a website which lists aircrafts and speeds please let me know. I could find this information from manufacturer websites, but I don't want to offer the user a 100 options, I just want to offer 5 or 10 "most common" aircrafts in which he is likely to fly these days. Thanks!
Now I want to offer the user some preset aircraft types and speeds (e.g: Airbus A300 is 520mph). The user would simply need to pick the aircraft type and my program would tell him his estimated flying time.
So does anyone know what are the 10 or 15 most common aircrafts are, and what their normal cruising speeds are? If you know a website which lists aircrafts and speeds please let me know. I could find this information from manufacturer websites, but I don't want to offer the user a 100 options, I just want to offer 5 or 10 "most common" aircrafts in which he is likely to fly these days. Thanks!
Feb 11, 2003 | 5:20 am
#2
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,752
One of the things you will find is that even when you have the data for a precise calculation, it is not going to be accurate enough to be helpful.
One of the main factors other than aircraft speed which will affect flying time is wind. There are times when winds at cruising altitudes can be well over 100 mph. There are also consistent wind patterns, such as make the average London-New York flight about an hour longer than the average New York-London flight.
Another variable is routing. Airlines very often do not fly great circle routes. Sometimes there are airspace restrictions, such as no recognised or defined airways, or available diversion airfields. Sometimes there are political or military problems. And sometimes just the terrain can cause problems which are not obvious. For example, the high terrain over Tibet and the Himalayas does not pose a problem for aircraft which are fully operational, but would do if an engine were to fail during cruise.
Given variables such as these, the one thing which can be fairly confidently said is that any estimate of flying time, using great circle routes and published aircraft airspeeds, will not accurately reflect the actual flying time on those routes.
One of the main factors other than aircraft speed which will affect flying time is wind. There are times when winds at cruising altitudes can be well over 100 mph. There are also consistent wind patterns, such as make the average London-New York flight about an hour longer than the average New York-London flight.
Another variable is routing. Airlines very often do not fly great circle routes. Sometimes there are airspace restrictions, such as no recognised or defined airways, or available diversion airfields. Sometimes there are political or military problems. And sometimes just the terrain can cause problems which are not obvious. For example, the high terrain over Tibet and the Himalayas does not pose a problem for aircraft which are fully operational, but would do if an engine were to fail during cruise.
Given variables such as these, the one thing which can be fairly confidently said is that any estimate of flying time, using great circle routes and published aircraft airspeeds, will not accurately reflect the actual flying time on those routes.
Feb 11, 2003 | 5:31 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2001
Programs: AA Plat & LTG; QF LTG
Posts: 9,837
A good example of the prevailing wind effect is the scheuled times for SYD-JNB (13:50) vs JNB-SYD (11:45). This routing has a 2+ hour difference in the schedule of the same operator and aircraft type.
Similarly LAX-MEL is scheduled 1:15 longer in the westerly direction than MEL-LAX which enjoys a tail wind most of the way.
Similarly LAX-MEL is scheduled 1:15 longer in the westerly direction than MEL-LAX which enjoys a tail wind most of the way.
Feb 11, 2003 | 8:48 am
#4
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Join Date: Sep 1999
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