Aerial Refueling Implications for Commercial Aviation

Abstract

Numerical refueling missions were simulated with a 747-400 tanker for three different sized aircraft—a 747-400, a 777-300, and an A318—to examine the impact on payload capability. Simplified performance and economic models were used to optimize the payload improvement with respect to the refuel point. Optimum refuel points for maximum payload improvement resulted in 88, 110, and 111% payload carrying increases for the A318, 777, and 747 respectively. The mission distance location for the optimum refuel point was observed to increase with increasing aircraft weight. A return on investment of less than one year was predicted for the large aircraft, although the optimum economic refuel point did not coincide with the point for maximum payload increase. Additional benefits were identified to include increased revenue to both the manufacturers and the airline operators, in the form of more product options, more revenue flight hours, increased airframe life, and the possibility for improved takeoff performance and noise reduction. The implementation of in-flight refueling is also proposed to lead to second cycle benefits of a revolution in future commercial aircraft conception and design.