FACULTY OF ENGINEERING 

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING 
2ND YEAR 
LATONA NAHID AKTARE HOUSSAINE 
(MEA10NAL) 
MEC 282 (AEROSTRUCTURES & 
PERFORMANCE) 
A350-800
CASE STUDY
REPORT
Case Study
Airbus A350-800
Introduction
The main objectives of this A350-800 case study were to create a flight and gust
envelope and analyse the behavior of the aircraft. All the critical velocities on the flight
and gust envelope and other parameters such as load factors are determined by the
FAR 25 specifications. The equations used to calculate the aircraft speeds are entirely
dependent on the AIRWORTHINESS FAR 25 rules that are given and one’s must abide
by. Aircraft speeds are determined for a weight configuration equal to the 45% or 55%
of the maximum take- off weight. Since it’s an either or statement, the selected weight
configuration is taken to be 45% of the maximum take- off weight. All units have been
converted to American units and carried throughout the whole calculations as well as at
sea level 45,000 ft. These FAR rules give an overview of the FAR requirements which
are necessary for the flight and gust envelope of the A350-800 aircraft.
Why base our calculations at sea level?
Aircraft may be flown from sea level up to the maximum operating altitude which is
normally defined by the performance capability of the airplane/engine combination (i.e.,
service cruise, or combat ceiling), but could be defined by other considerations such as
pressure differential limitation. If the aircraft is pressurized, the specified maximum
pressure differential must never be exceeded in flight. In certain configurations (e.g.,
flaps down) the maximum allowed altitude may be lower than in the clean configuration.
Aircraft Profile: A350- 800
The 270-350-seat A350 XWB is Airbus's new long-range wide body twinjet designed to
compete against Boeing's 777 as well as the larger 787 variants.
After initially basing the A350 design around the existing A330 twinjet, Airbus initiated a
major review in 2006 which resulted in the all-new A350 XWB. The XWB has an all-new
fuselage that is 33cm wider (outside diameter) than that of the A330/A340 and more
than 60% of the XWB’s structure is made from new materials, predominantly
carbonfibre - which is used extensively in the wing and for the fuselage skin panels.
Powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, the A350 has a range of up to
15,400km (8,300nm) and will offer fuel savings of up to 30% compared with today’s
similarly sized aircraft.
Design freeze is planned for late 2008, with the first A350 variant, the -900, scheduled
to make its first flight in 2012. Airbus is targeting a mid-2013 in-service date for the
314-seat -900 model with launch customer Qatar Airways. The smaller, 270-seat -800
will follow in 2014 and the 350 seat -1000 in 2015. In the longer term, ultra-long-range
and freighter variants of the A350-900 are planned for 2016 and 2017, respectively.
Reference : - http://www.flightglobal.com/landingpage/airbus+a350.html
Maneuvering Diagram
This diagram illustrates the variation in load factor with airspeed for maneuvers. At low
speeds the maximum load factor is constrained by aircraft maximum C
Lmax

. According to FAR 25.337,

at higher speeds the maneuver load factor may be restricted.
The Maximum Load Factor is : -
n = 2.1 +
W+10000 24000

, where (W in pound)
Aircraft Maximum Take – off weight = 270 tons(US)
Conversion
1 ton(U.S) → 2000 lb/tons
Weight, W = 2000 lb/tons × 270 tons × 0.45 = 243,000 lb
Aircraft Maximum take- off weight = 243,000 lb
Substitute in equation, n = 2.1 +
W+10000 24000

,
n = 2.1 +
243,000+10,000 24,000

= 2.20
Since n must be between 2.5 and 3.8, hence by default the Maximum Load Factor
chosen is 3.1. The maximum maneuver load factor is usually 2.5 . As per the FAR
25.337, if the airplane weighs less than 50,000 lbs., however, the load factor must be
given by: n= 2.1 + 24,000 / (W+10,000), n need not be greater than 3.8.
Graphical illustration gives a clear picture where is the n
max

selected for the case study is

located. Please refer to graph on next page.
Vs, + Stalling Curve
Vs Curve

Summary FAR 25 Regulations

In this section contains airworthiness standards for airplanes in the transport category.
Before an aircraft can be sold to the public, to corporations or to airlines a type
certificate must have been issued. This type certificate ensures that the airplane has
been designed and built in accordance with federally enforced minimum airworthiness
standards. These minimum airworthiness standards are incorporated in the FEDERAL
AVIATION REGULATIONS (FAR’s).
These regulations have a major impact on the design of aircrafts. That’s the main
reasons why we need to take under great consideration the FAR 25 rules for our airbus
A350- 800.
Airworthiness FAR 25 RULES
The rules and regulations stipulates in Subpart C- Structure General section 25.303,
Factor of Safety, if unless specified, a factor of safety 1.5 must be applied to the
prescribed limit load. Those are considered to be external loads on the aircraft structure.
Which mean that the FAR 25 rules decree the factor of safety to be 1.5× n.
Reference : - http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-
idx?c=ecfr&sid=a9f892b8705588586a06549e4714b693&rgn=div8&view=text&node
=14:1.0.1. 3.11.3.162.2&idno=14
n = 3.1 3.5
Lo
3
a
2.5 d
2
F
1.5 a c
1
to
0.5
r
0
n
-0.5
0 50 100 150 200
-1
V knots Speed
Parameters and Formulas of Flight Envelope
The following speeds, where V is the equivalent or calibrated airspeed measured in
knots. Some of these are related to the structural capabilities and are termed "design"
speeds, being those used in calculating structural loads, flight control requirements, etc.
It should be noted that the definitions given below are not rigorous, and there are often
difference between those used by the various airworthiness authorities.
All calculations were done in ft/s ( feet per seconds) whereby on graph all speeds’
values were converted into knots.
•V
S

, the stall speed. Currently, this is interpreted as the minimum speed at which steady
horizontal flight (n = 1) is possible. Given by the equation,
V
S

2W SρC
Lmax

•V
A

=
, the design maneuvering speed. V
A

may not be less than V

S*

√n
max

, where n is the maximum

positive load factor of the aircraft.
•V
B

, the design speed for maximum gust intensity.

•V
C

, the design cruising speed, where V

C=
V
B+

43 (Knots).
•V
D

, the design dive speed, given by V

D

=
V
C

0.8
(Knots).
•V
H

, the stall speed in inverted flight and given by the following equation.
V
H

2Wn
min SρC

Lmin Where minimum load factor, n

min

=
= -1
Gust Envelope Parameters
V
B

is determined by the intersection of the stall curve with the maximum gust velocity
curve with U
de

= the maximum gust speed. The FAR's describe the calculation of these loads in
some detail. The gust load may be computed from the expression given in FAR Part 25,
n=1±
 498(W K g
U
de

Va
S)
Where :- a ≈ 4.65
U V, de
equivalent , equivalent airspeed gust velocity (in knots)
(in ft/sec)
K
g

, gust alleviation factor

Since A350-800 is an aircraft that travel at subsonic speeds, therefore, the gust velocity
is tempered by a “gust alleviation factor,” K
g

given by,
K
g

=
0.88μ
g 5.3+ μ
g

SUBSONIC
with the mass ratio, μ given by :- μ =
2(W ρc ag
S)

, “mass ratio”.
Note that c is the mean geometric chord in the mass ratio formula.
DERIVATION OF GUST LOAD EQUATION
The gust loads for an aircraft are determined by first estimating the change in angle of
attack upon entering a sharp-edged gust:
∆α = tan−1
U
V
de

≈
U
V
de

− − − −(1)
Where U
V de

is is the vertical gust speed with unit ft/s (feet per second) the aircraft forward speed
same unit as gust speed ft/s
As an expected result, the change in angle of attack produce as well as a change in lift
which is estimated as :
∆L =
12
ρV2Sa OR ∆α =
12
ρV2SaU
de

,− − − − (2)
Note : - C
Lα

or a ≈ 4.65, is the Angular Lift Coefficient

Velocities are given in ft/s (feet per second) in order that the lift be given in lbs (N). The
above lift equation (2) does not include alleviation effects resulting from real unsteady
aerodynamics; in reality, the lift does not change instantaneously when an airplane
enters a gust, nor is a gust ever truly sharp-edged.
To calculate the change in load factor, note that n = L/W, and
n=
L±W
∆L
=1 ±
ρVaK
g

U
de 2(W S )
− − − −(3)
It is customary to give V and U
de in EAS, n =1 ±
and the density ρ
SL

VaK
g

U
de 2(W S )
is given at sea- level
− − − −(4)
According to the FAR 25 section 25.335, V is given in knots. Substituting into equation 4
for the sea-level density and the conversion between ft/s and knots, the equation for the
gust load factor becomes
n=1±
ρVaK
g
U
de 498(W S )

Derived Equation
Reference :- Aircraft Structures for engineering students
Fourth Edition T. H. G. Megson
ISBN-13: 978-0-75066-7395
Calculations
All dimensions and calculations were performed in American Units.
45% weight configuration, W = 2000 lb/tons × 270 tons × 0.45 = 243,000 lb Wing Area,
S = 443m2 × 10.76 = 4766.68 ft2 Maximum Angular positive lift without flaps, C
Lmax

≈ 1.40 Minimum Medium lift geometric lift

coefficient, coefficient, chord C
Lα c C

Lmin = (or 5.80m a) = ≈ 4.65

-1.1
× 3.28084 = 19.03 ft Density at sea level, ρ =
0.002377 slug/ft
3

Stall speed is directly proportional with the load factor. V

s

increases as the load factor

increases. If V
s

is the stall speed of the aircraft A350-800 in steady level flight, then stall speed
during maneuvers will be
V
S

2W SρC
Lmax Using the speed stall formula and
the datas set above,
V
S

=
=
4766.68 2 × × 0.002377 243,000
× 1.40
= 175.04 ft/s
The positive V
s

of the aircraft is 175.04 ft/s .

The design maneuvering speed may not be less than V
s

* √n
max

set by the FAR 25 section

25.335. Thus,
V
A

=Vs
×n
max

V
A

= 175.04 × √3.1 = 308.19 ft/s

The design maneuvering speed V
A

is 308.19 ft/s.
According to the FAR 25 section 25.335(d), the design speed for maximum gust
intensity, V
B

may not be less than V s

×n
12

and can be related by n = derived/ calculated from the relation of lift equation to load V
V
B

s factor 2 . The whereby velocity V n B

= can L/W.
also be
n=
WL
=
12
ρV2C w
Lmax

S
=1 ±
ρ
SL

VaK
g

U
de 498(W S )
− − − −(1)
Or can also be calculated by the derived equation
V
B2
Vs

ρ
SL

VaK
g

U
de 498(W S ) V
B

=1 ±
2
Vs

−
ρ
SL

VaK
g

U
de 498(W S )
− 1=0 − − − −(2)
Before calculating V
B

we need some preliminary datas such as μ, mass ratio given by

μ=
2(W ρc ag
S)

=
0.002377 2(243000 ×19.03×4.65×32.185
4766.68)

= 15.06
Therefore we get the K
g
0.88×15.06 5.3+ 15.06

= 0.651
To obtain V
B

, gust alleviation factor =

, the design speed for maximum gust intensity the U
de

which is the equivalent gust

velocity in ft/s is at 66ft/s. Using equation (1) n =
LW

=
12
ρV
2
C
Lmax w
S

=1 ±
ρ
SL 498(W VaK
g
US)
de

, we
obtain the following quadratic equation,
0.82862V
B 2 − 199.7919V
B

− 25385.48 = 0 , this expression can be solved by the equation

V
B

−b ± √b2 − 4ac
Hence V
B

= is obtained as 333.1 ft/s or 197.36 KNOTS.

2a
LOAD
FACTOR

Desing Speed for maximum gust Intensity 7

6
5
Positive Stall Curve 4
n3
Maximum Gust intensity 2
line
1
0

V
B

= 197.36 KNOTS
-1
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Aircraft Speed (KEAS) KNOTS
should According to FAR 25 section 25.333(a), the design cruise speed V
C

be sufficiently
greater than V
B

by 43 knots to counter unplanned speeds that can be arose by severe

atmospheric turbulences. Consequently V
C

is given by :
V
C

= 197.36 V C
=V
+B

+ 43 43 = 240.36 knots
Knots
The Design Cruise Speed V
C

is 240.36 Knots.
Design dive speed V
D

is the maximum speed which has to be considered when assessing

the strength of the aircraft. It is based on the principle of an upset occuring when the
aircraft is flying at V
C

, resulting in a shallow dive, during which the speed increases, until recovery is effected.
As a result, V
D

the design dive speed is given by :

V
D

V
C

0.8
Knots
V
D

=
240.36 0.8
= 300.45 Knots
Hence design dive speed, V
D

=
is 300.45 Knots.
As noted above, the flight envelope is defined as the range of airspeeds, altitudes and
normal load factors at which the aircraft can safely operate.
Graphical Representation Results
As per the Airworthiness FAR 25 rules, the range of airspeeds are represented
graphically on both flight and gust envelope diagrams respectively.
6

Lo
5
-1

Flight Envelope A350-800 1.5n

1

ad
4

1.25n
1

F
3

n
1

a
0.75n
1

AC
D
c
2t
Positive Stall
o
1r

V
S

V
A

V
D

n
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 E
350
Negative Stall 0
V
HG
F Aircraft Speed (KEAS) KNOTS
Overview of Maneuvering Envelope of A350-800
6

Flight Envelope A350-800

5

Ultimate Limit
Lo
4

Proof Limit
ad
Maximum Load Factor
AC
3F
 D
a
Maximum Load Factor for V
Dct
2

or
1n

V
S

V
A

V
D
0

E
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

V
H -1

G
F Negative Stall
Aircraft Speed (KEAS) KNOTS