Airplane Variables:

TYPE OF PLANE ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES Prop plane (reciprocating engine) Pros: Can take off and land on extremely short runways. Cons: Does not have the power of the other two; poor performance at higher altitudes; and load carrying is limited. Turbo jet Pros: Can go far and fast; has enough power to take off at high altitude airports. Cons: Requires extremely long runways for both takeoff and landing; can not climb as well as a turbo prop. Turbo prop plane Pros: Can take off and land on shorter runways; can climb better than a turbo jet. Cons: Usually cannot go as far or as fast as a turbojet.

2 Minutes HINT: 1. The higher the altitude, the less dense the air, the less performance, the longer the runway required. 2. The colder the temperature, the more dense the air, the shorter the runway required. 3. The hotter the temperature, the less performance, the longer the runway required. 2. Beijing, China to New Guinea, Indonesia - 7,000 foot elevation - long runways - cold to warm temperature A) Turbo Prop or Prop B) Jet, Turbo Prop, Prop C) Turbo Prop D) Jet or Turbo Prop

Please send any comments to:
Curator: Tom.Benson@grc.nasa.gov
Responsible Official: Kathy.Zona@grc.nasa.gov