For an aircraft to be listed in the Purchase Planning Handbook, a production-conforming article must have flown by June 1 of this year. The dimensions, weights and performance characteristics of each model listed are representative of the current production aircraft being built or for which a type certificate application has been filed. The basic operating weights are representative of actual production turboprop and turbofan aircraft because we've insisted upon manufacturers supplying us with the actual weights of delivered aircraft to commercial customers. The takeoff field length distances are based on maximum takeoff weight unless otherwise indicated in the tables
Please note that "all data preliminary" in the Remarks section indicates that actual aircraft weight, dimension and performance numbers may vary considerably after the model is certified and delivery of completed aircraft begins.
Manufacturer, Model and Type Designation There are three rows at the top of each column for a specific aircraft: The airplane manufacturer’s name, abbreviated in some cases; the commercial model name; and the type certificate data sheet model designation. BCA Equipped Price Price estimates are first quarter, current year dollars for the next available delivery. Some aircraft have long lead times, thus the actual price will be higher than our published price. Note well, manufacturers may adjust prices without notification.
Characteristics
For example, 2+8/19 indicates that the aircraft requires two pilots, there are eight seats in the typical executive configuration and the aircraft is certified for up to 19 passenger seats. A four-place single-engine aircraft is shown as 1+3/3, indicating that one pilot is required and there are three other seats available for passengers. We require two pilots for all FAR Part 25 transport-category certified turbofan airplanes. A single pilot is required for all FAR Part 23 normal category airplanes, including turbine airplanes up to 19 occupants/19,000lb. certified maximum takeoff weight, except where otherwise noted. Four crewmembers are specified for ultra-long-range aircraft—three pilots and one flight attendant.
Each occupant of a turbine-powered airplane is assumed to weigh 200 lb., thus allowing for stowed luggage and carry-on items. In the case of piston-engine airplanes, we assume each occupant weighs 170 lb. There is no luggage allowance for piston-engine airplanes.
Dimensions
As shown in the Cabin Interior Dimensions illustration, for small airplanes other than “cabin-class” models, the length is measured from the forward bulkhead ahead of the rudder pedals to the back of the rearmost passenger seat in its normal, upright position.
For so-called cabin-class and larger aircraft, we provide the net length of the cabin that may be occupied by passengers. It’s measured from the aft side of the forward cabin divider to an aft point defined by the rear of the cabin floor capable of supporting passenger seats, the rear wall of an aft galley or lavatory, an auxiliary pressure bulkhead or the front wall of the pressurized baggage compartment. Some aircraft have the same net and overall interior length because the manufacturer offers at least one interior configuration with the aft-most passenger seat located next to the front wall of the aft luggage compartment.
For large aircraft, we also show the main seating area length, the prime section of the cabin occupied by passengers not including the galley, full-width lavatory(ies), or internal, inflight accessible baggage compartment. The overall length of the passenger cabin is measured from the aft side of the forward cabin divider to the aft-most bulkhead of the cabin pressure vessel. The aft-most point is defined by the rear side of a baggage compartment that is accessible to passengers in flight or the aft pressure bulkhead. The overall length is reduced by the length of any permanent mounted system or structure that is installed in the fuselage ahead of the aft bulkhead. For example, some aircraft have full fuselage cross-section fuel tanks mounted ahead of the aft pressure bulkhead. Interior height is measured at the center of the cross section. It may be based on an aisle that is dropped several inches below the main cabin floor that supports the passenger seats. Some aircraft have dropped aisles of varying depths, resulting in less available interior height in certain sections of the cabin, such as the floor sections below the passenger seats.
Two width dimensions are shown for multiengine turbine airplanes—one at the widest part of the cabin and the other at floor level. The dimensions, however, are not completely indicative of the usable space in a specific aircraft because of individual variances in interior furnishings. Power Number of engines, if greater than one, and the abbreviated name of the manufacturer: CFE — ASE/GE joint venture; CFMI — CFM International; Cont -- Teledyne Continental; GE, GE Honda; Hon — Honeywell Aerospace; IAE -- International Aero Engines; Lyc — Textron Lycoming; PW — Pratt & Whitney; P&WC — Pratt & Whitney Canada; RR — Rolls-Royce; Wms Intl — Williams International.
Weights (lb.) Weight categories are listed as appropriate to each class of aircraft. Max Ramp — Maximum ramp weight for taxi. Max Takeoff — Maximum takeoff weight as determined by structural limits. Max Landing — Maximum landing weight as determined by structural limits. Zero Fuel — Maximum zero fuel weight, shown by "c" indicating the certified MZFW or "b", a BCA-computed weight based on MTOW minus the weight of fuel required to fly 1.5 hr. at high-speed cruise.
Max ramp, max takeoff and max landing weights may be the same for light aircraft that may only have a certified max takeoff weight.
EOW/BOW — Empty Operating Weight is shown for piston-powered airplanes. Basic Operating Weight, which essentially is EOW plus required flight crew, is shown for turbine-powered airplanes. EOW is based on the factory standard weight, plus items specified in the “BCA Required Equipment List,” less fuel and oil. BOW, in contrast, is based on the average EOW weight of the last 10 commercial deliveries, plus 200 lb. for each required crewmember. We require four 200-lb. crewmembers, three flight crew and one cabin attendant for ultra-long-range aircraft.
There is no requirement to add in the weight of cabin stores, but some manufacturers choose to include galley stores and passenger supplies as part of the BOW buildup. Life vests, life rafts and appropriate deep-water survival equipment are included in the weight buildup of the 80,000+ lb., ultra-long-range aircraft
Limits BCA lists V speeds and other limits as appropriate to the class of airplane. These are the abbreviations used on the charts:
Airport Performance Approved Flight Manual takeoff runway performance is shown for sea-level, standard-day and for 5,000-ft. elevation/25C day, density altitude. All-engine takeoff distance (TO) is shown for single-engine and mult-engine piston, and turboprop airplanes with an MTOW of less than 12,500 lb. Takeoff distances and speeds assume MTOW, unless otherwise noted, such as when takeoff weight is limited because of density altitude.
BCA lists two additional numbers for large turboprop- and turbofan-powered airplanes. First, we publish the Mission Weight, which is the lower of: (1) the actual takeoff weight with four passengers (eight passengers for ultra-long-range aircraft) and full fuel when departing from a 5,000-ft./25C airport, or (2) the maximum allowable takeoff weight when departing with the same passenger load and at the same density altitude.
For two-engine aircraft, the Mission Weight, when departing from a 5,000-ft., ISA+20C airport, may be less than the MTOW because of FAR Part 25 second-segment, one-engine-inoperative, climb performance requirements. Aircraft with highly flat-rated engines are less likely to have a Mission Weight that is performance limited when departing from hot-and-high airports.
For three-engine aircraft, the Mission Weight usually is based on full tanks and the actual number of passengers, rather than being performance limited.
Second, we publish the NBAA IFR Range for the 5,000-ft. elevation, ISA+20C departure, assuming a transition into standard-day, ISA flight conditions after takeoff. For purposes of computing NBAA IFR range, the aircraft is flown at the long-range cruise speed shown in the “Cruise” block or at the same speed as shown in the “Range” block. Missions assume four passengers and full tanks, unless otherwise noted. Thus, some aircraft, not weight limited when departing such hot-and-high airports, actually have longer ranges than when departing sea-level facilities because they start their climbs 5,000 ft. higher on their way up to initial cruise altitude.
Climb The all-engine time-to-climb provides an indication of overall climb performance, especially if the aircraft has an all-engine service ceiling well above our sample top-of-climb altitudes. We provide the all-engine time to climb to one of three specific altitudes, based on type of aircraft departing at MTOW from a sea-level, standard-day airport: (1) FL 100 (10,000 ft.) for normally aspirated, single-engine and multiengine piston aircraft, plus pressurized single-engine piston aircraft and unpressurized turboprop aircraft; (2) FL 250 for pressurized single-engine and multiengine turboprop aircraft; or (3) FL 370 for turbofan-powered aircraft. The data is published as time-to-climb in minutes/climb altitude. For example, if a non-pressurized twin-engine piston aircraft can depart from a sea-level airport at MTOW and climb to 10,000 ft. in 8 min., the time to climb is expressed as 8/FL 100.
We also publish the initial all-engine climb feet per nautical mile gradient, plus initial engine-out climb rate and gradient, for single-engine and multiengine pistons and turboprops with MTOWs of 12,500 lb. or less.
The one-engine-inoperative (OEI) climb rate for multiengine aircraft at MTOW is derived from the Airplane Flight Manual. OEI climb rate and gradient is based on landing gear retracted and wing flaps in the takeoff configuration used to compute the published takeoff distance. The climb gradient for such airplanes is obtained by dividing the product of the climb rate (fpm) in the AFM times 60 by the Vy or Vyse climb speed, as appropriate.
The OEI climb gradients we show for FAR Part 23 Category C and FAR Part 25 Transport Category aircraft are the second-segment net climb performance numbers published in the AFMs. Please note: The AFM net second-segment climb performance numbers are adjusted downward by 0.8% to compensate for variations in pilot technique and ambient conditions.
The OEI climb gradient is computed at the same flap configuration used to calculate the takeoff field length. Ceilings (ft.)
Cruise Cruise performance is computed using EOW with four occupants or BOW with four passengers and one-half fuel load. Ultra-long-range aircraft carry eight passengers for purposes of computing cruise performance. Assume 170 lb. for each occupant of a piston-engine airplane and 200 lb. for each occupant of a turbine-powered aircraft.
Speed, fuel flow, specific range and altitude in each category are based on one mid-weight cruise point and these data reflect standard-day conditions. They are not an average for the overall mission and they are not representative of the above-standard-day temperatures at cruise altitudes commonly encountered in everyday operations.
BCA imposes a 12,000-ft. maximum cabin altitude requirement on CAR 3/FAR Part 23 normally aspirated aircraft. Non-pressurized, turbine-powered or turbocharged airplanes are limited to FL 250, providing they are fitted with supplemental oxygen systems having sufficient capacity for all occupants for the duration of the mission. Pressurized CAR 3/FAR Part 23 aircraft are limited to a maximum cruise altitude at which cabin altitude can be maintained at 10,000 feet or below. For FAR Part 23 Category C and FAR Part 25 aircraft, the maximum cabin altitude for computing cruise performance is 8,000 ft.
To conserve space, we use Flight Levels (FL) for all cruise altitudes, which is appropriate considering that we assume standard-day ambient temperature and pressure conditions. Cruise performance is subject to BCA’s verification. Range BCA shows various paper missions for each aircraft that illustrate range versus payload tradeoffs, runway and cruise performance, plus fuel efficiency. Similar to the cruise profile calculations, BCA limits the maximum altitude to 12,000 ft. for normally aspirated, non-pressurized CAR 3/FAR Part 23 aircraft, 25,000 ft. for non-pressurized turbocharged or turbine airplanes with supplemental oxygen, 10,000-ft. cabin altitude for pressurized CAR 3/FAR Part 23 airplanes and 8,000-ft. cabin altitude for FAR Part 23 Category C or FAR Part 25 aircraft.
Please note: None of the missions for piston-engine aircraft includes fuel for diverting to an alternate. However, single-engine turboprops are required to have NBAA IFR fuel reserves, but only a 100-mi. alternate is required.
NBAA IFR range format cruise profiles, having a 200-mi. alternate, are used for FAR Part 25 Transport Category turbine-powered aircraft. In the case of FAR Part 23 turboprops, including those certified in Category B and C, and FAR Part 23 turbofan aircraft, only a 100-mi. alternate is needed. The difference in alternate requirements should be kept in mind when comparing range performance of various classes of aircraft.
The range profiles are in nautical miles, and the average speed is computed by dividing that distance by the total flight time or weight-off-wheels time en route. The Fuel Used or Trip Fuel includes the fuel consumed for start, taxi, takeoff, cruise, descent and landing approach, but not after-landing taxi or reserves.
The Specific Range is obtained by dividing the distance flown by the total fuel burn. The Altitude is the highest cruise altitude achieved on the specific mission profile shown. Missions Various paper missions are computed to illustrate the runway requirements, speeds, fuel burns and specific range, plus cruise altitudes. The mission ranges are chosen to be representative for the airplane category. All fixed-distance missions are flown with four passengers on board, except for ultra-long-range airplanes, which have eight passengers on board. The pilot is counted as a passenger on board piston-engine airplanes. If an airplane cannot complete a specific fixed-distance mission with the appropriate payload, BCA shows a reduction of payload in the Remarks section or marks the fields NP (Not Possible) at our option.
Runway performance is obtained from the Approved Airplane Flight Manual. Takeoff distance is listed for single-engine airplanes; accelerate/stop distance is listed for piston twins and light turboprops; and takeoff field length, which often corresponds to balanced field length, is used for FAR Part 23 Category C and FAR Part 25 large Transport Category airplanes.
Flight Time (takeoff to touchdown, or weight off wheels, time) is shown for turbine airplanes. Some piston-engine manufacturers also include taxi time, resulting in a chock-to-chock, Block Time measurement. Fuel Used, though, is the actual block fuel burn for each type of aircraft, but it does not include fuel reserves. The cruise altitude shown is that which is specified by the manufacturer for fixed-distance missions.
Remarks In this section, BCA generally includes the base price, if it is available or applicable; the certification basis and year; and any notes about estimations, limitations or qualifications regarding specifications, performance or price. All prices are in 2021 dollars, FOB at a U.S. delivery point, unless otherwise noted. The certification basis includes the regulation under which the airplane was originally type certified, the year in which it was originally certified and, if applicable, subsequent years during which the airplane was re-certified. General The following abbreviations are used throughout the tables: “NA" means not available; “—” indicates the information is not applicable; and “NP” signifies that specific performance is not possible.
