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What is power-to-weight ratio??

53.5k Ephwurd  8.4 years ago

What is that? Does higher power-to-weight ratio mean anything significant to a plane's performance?

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    Mod Squirrel

    @Ephwurd No problem!

    8.4 years ago
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    53.5k Ephwurd

    @Squirrel ooooh ok thanks for the info!

    8.4 years ago
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    Mod Squirrel

    @Ephwurd Power to weight ratio is a planes aircraft's power with reference to its weight. For example if a plane weighted 50,000 pounds and had engines that produced 25,000 pounds of thrust, then the plane would produce a ratio of 0.5.
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    While it can help determine a top speed of an aircraft, it is by no means a direct reference, as speed depends on a number of factors such as altitude, drag, etc. However, it does play a large factor in flight performance. An aircraft with a thrust to weight ratio higher that 1 will allow the aircraft to take off or climb vertically with little to no problem. Hence why VTOL aircraft have a thrust to weight ratio higher than 1.
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    An example to all the above, the Harrier (VTOL Plane) has a ratio of 1.1, but struggles to break the sound barrier. By Contrast the F-111 has a thrust to weight ratio of 0.91 but had the ability to travel at mach 2.5. Obviously Mach speed is a variable dependent on altitude, etc, but those numbers are generally taken at an international standard.

    8.4 years ago
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    @Ephwurd It is Jet engine power divided by weight

    8.4 years ago
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    53.5k Ephwurd

    @KingDeadshot so anything above 1 is ok? I have a build here that has 0.7 power to weight ratio

    8.4 years ago