Aircraft Model Comparison For Minimum Time-To-Climb Problem

Abstract

Five aircraft dynamic models for a minimum time-to-climb problem are solved. The five-state model features the usual point-mass equations of motion for flight in a vertical plane. Time is the independent variable, and speed, altitude, flight path angle, range, and mass are the dependent variables. Range is used to replace time as the independent variable for the remaining four models. The last of these is the well known energy-state approximation with specific energy as the only state variable and speed as the control variable. The objective is to compare the solutions for each of the five models with regard to accuracy and computational effort.