Accession Number:

ADA516946

Title:

Fuel Savings Opportunities From Air Refueling

Descriptive Note:

Master's Thesis

Corporate Author:

AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT

Personal Author(s):

• Toydas, Murat

Report Date:

2010-03-01

Pagination or Media Count:

83.0

Abstract:

Fuel is a critical strategic asset for military aviation operations, yet is increasingly expensive. Air refueling offers both the opportunity to extend aircraft range and the potential to save fuel by enabling a transport aircraft to depart with less fuel in exchange for additional cargo. We evaluate the practicality of air refueling in terms of fuel savings versus distance and cargo quantity, by introducing two non-linear optimization models that examine the tradeoff between departure fuel weight and loaded cargo for given origin, destination, and tanker base positions and freight quantities to be moved. We use two numerical example scenarios to show that substantial fuel savings from air refueling are possible.

Descriptors:

• *REFUELING IN FLIGHT
• MILITARY OPERATIONS
• OPTIMIZATION
• AIRCRAFT
• AERONAUTICS
• NONLINEAR SYSTEMS
• WEIGHT
• TRADE OFF ANALYSIS
• TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT
• NONLINEAR PROGRAMMING
• MATHEMATICAL MODELS
• FUELS

Subject Categories:

• Military Aircraft Operations
• Fuels

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE