ALR

Arbeitsgruppe für Luft- und Raumfahrt
Groupe de Développement de Projets Aérospatiaux
Aerospace Project Development Group

Centre of Competence in Aircraft Performance

Computation and assessment of flight performance and mission capabilities of civil and military fixed-wing aircraft.

Main Activities

  • Computation of aircraft performance
  • Development of APP™ software and methods
  • Marketing, sales, distribution of APP™ software
  • Analysis, evaluation and comparison of fixed wing air vehicle performance
  • Point performance analysis and mission analysis
  • Aircraft characteristics database and library

Contact

ALR
Dr. sc. ETH Marc Immer
Gotthardstrasse 52
8002 Zürich

Phone: +41 (0) 79 705 48 65
Email: marc.immer@alr-aerospace.ch


Description

ALR member's experience in combination with appropriate tools and the unique ALR database enables to make sound evaluation of civil and military aircraft e.g. prior to acquisition and to make comparisons between different aircraft types. The main tool to support that activity is the ALR developed APP™ Aircraft Performance Program.

Aircraft Performance Analysis Scheme

ALR Aircraft Performance Program APP™

Since creation in 1981, ALR has developed a unique capability in aircraft performance and preliminary design analysis. This was achieved through its own design activity of light fighter, trainer and light aircraft.

The Aircraft Performance Program APP™ computes the complete range of performance parameters over a user-specified range of altitudes, speeds and other variables.
The program is designed for simplicity and flexibility in its use and provides the user with useful quick-look (evaluate) functions for the examination of a wide variety of data (e.g. thrust, fuel flow, lift, drag, SEP, turn rate, etc.)

Another feature of the Aircraft Performance Program APP™ is the ability to compute and optimize all kind of mission profiles based on defined mission specifications. The types of mission flight phases (takeoff, climb, cruise, loiter, descend, etc.) are suitable for civil as well as military aircraft.

A very useful feature of the program is the capability to work in either metric or American units and to be able to switch during program execution to either system. This feature allows a rapid conversion of results into either system of units.

The Aircraft Performance Program APP™ is used for the following main tasks:

  • Practical and theoretical performance analysis
  • Concept development and detail design
  • Competitor performance analysis
  • Flight test and Certification support
  • Flight handbooks, Performance and Marketing brochures
  • University and Academy teaching

The Aircraft Performance Program APP™ is a valuable tool for all kinds of users, from small design teams to large aerospace companies. The latter will find it effective for producing quick assessments without having to resort to their own large, but very expensive, computer programs. Operators, research establishments, universities, government agencies and air forces will use it as a very cost-effective tool by avoiding expensive and lengthy subcontracting in many phases of their work.

The Aircraft Performance Program APP™ can be operated with on a PC running Windows Operating Systems XP/7/8/8.1/10 with a minimum of 20 Mbytes hard-disc storage. Input to the program comprises basic aircraft mass and aerodynamic characteristics as well as powerplant performance tabular data files which are created using a "user friendly" interactive facility. Output from the program can be presented in graphical or tabular form.

View the APP™ product presentation here: APP Presentation (PDF Download) or visit the APP Website.