| Description |
It has been suggested that the Concorde SST design would make better economic sense if the payload were doubled. This new concept would make use of the same general operating characteristics of the original Concorde, but would roughly double the size. A first-order analysis was made of this Concorde II by utilizing published information on relevant dimensions and operating parameters of Concorde to determine aerodynamic coefficients in various configurations. This analysis suggests that, in order to transport 25000 kg at the speeds and altitudes common to Concorde operation, it would be necessary to increase the wing area and thrust by a factor of roughly 1.9. This arrangement allows a 4% improvement in rate-of-climb performance and reduces the fuel consumed per unit of payload by 2 - 6%, suggesting the possibility for improved seat-mile operating economics. Such improvement is even more likely if the basic design is refined and the fraction of structural weight to gross take-off weight can be retained. Engine improvements would also contribute greatly to more economical performance. |
