Template:Aircraft specifications/doc

This is a documentation subpage for Template:Aircraft specifications.
It contains usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page.

Use

{{aircraft specifications
<!-- if you do not understand how to use this template, please ask at [[Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Aircraft]] -->
| plane or copter? = <!-- options: plane/copter -->
| jet or prop? = <!-- options: jet/prop/both/neither -->
<!-- Now, fill out the specs.  Please include units where appropriate (main comes first, alt in parentheses). If an item doesn't apply, like capacity, leave it blank. 

-->
| ref = 
<!--
        General characteristics
-->
| crew         = 
| capacity     = 
| payload main = 
| payload alt  = 
| payload more = 
| length main  = 
| length alt   = 
| span main    = 
| span alt     = 
| height main  = 
| height alt   = 
| area main    = 
| area alt     = 
| airfoil      = 
| aspect ratio = 
| empty weight main  = 
| empty weight alt   = 
| loaded weight main = 
| loaded weight alt  = 
| useful load main   = 
| useful load alt    = 
| max takeoff weight main = 
| max takeoff weight alt  = 
| more general            = 
<!--
        Powerplant
-->
| engine (jet)    = 
| type of jet     = 
| number of jets  = 
| thrust main     = 
| thrust alt      = 
| thrust original = 
| afterburning thrust main = 
| afterburning thrust alt  = 

| engine (prop)   = 
| type of prop    = 
| number of props = 
| power main      = 
| power alt       = 
| power original  = 

| propeller or rotor?     = <!-- options: propeller/rotor -->
| propellers              = 
| number of propellers per engine = 
| propeller diameter main = 
| propeller diameter alt  = 
<!--
        Performance
-->
| max speed main    = 
| max speed alt     = 
| max speed more    = 
| cruise speed main = 
| cruise speed alt  = 
| cruise speed more = 
| stall speed main  = 
| stall speed alt   = 
| stall speed more  = 
| never exceed speed main = 
| never exceed speed alt  = 
| range main        = 
| range alt         = 
| range more        = 
| combat radius main= 
| combat radius alt = 
| combat radius more= 
| ferry range main  = 
| ferry range alt   = 
| ferry range more  = 
| endurance         = 
| ceiling main      = 
| ceiling alt       = 
| ceiling more      = 
| climb rate main   = 
| climb rate alt    = 
| climb rate more   = 
| sink rate main    = 
| sink rate alt     = 
| sink rate more    = 

| loading main      = 
| loading alt       = 
| thrust/weight     = 
| power/mass main   = 
| power/mass alt    = 
| more performance  = 
<!--
        Armament
-->
| armament = <!-- if you want to use the following specific parameters, do not use this line at all-->
| guns     = 
| bombs    = 
| rockets  = 
| missiles = 
 
| hardpoints = 
| hardpoint capacity = 
| hardpoint rockets  = 
| hardpoint missiles = 
| hardpoint bombs    = 
| hardpoint other    = 

| avionics = 

}}

Aircraft specifications

Note: changing this template's code to make it "look nice" will probably make it look worse. This template has four sections: General characteristics, performance, armament, and avionics.

Some things have a 'main' and 'alt' parameter. For example, the 'empty weight' has the parameters {{{empty weight main}}} and {{{empty weight alt}}}. A U.S. aircraft would have U.S. System of customary units first (in the example of weight 'main' would be given in pounds (lb), and 'alt' in kilograms (kg). Other aircraft are measured using the metric system, so they will have kg for 'main' and lb for 'alt'.

Non-specifications parameters

The template has three parameters which are not specs: {{{plane or copter?}}}, {{{jet or prop?}}}, and {{{ref}}}. The first two control what the template says. The last has a reference or references.

{{{plane or copter?}}}: If the aircraft is a rotorcraft (e.g. helicopters, gyrodynes, tiltrotors), this should be |plane or copter?=copter. If it is a fixed wing aircraft, it should be |plane or copter?=plane.
{{{jet or prop?}}}: For planes that have jet engines or rockets, this should be |jet or prop?=jet. For planes that have propellers, it should be |jet or prop?=prop. Some planes have both jet engines and propellers. For these, it should be |jet or prop?=both. Aircraft with no engines should be |jet or prop?=neither.
{{{ref}}}: Has the reference or references for the specs. Example: |ref=The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last=Donald|first=David|year=1997|title=Boeing Model 299 (B-17 Flying Fortress|encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft: 1|location=Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada|publisher=Prospero Books|id=ISBN 1-85605-375-X|pages=pages 154-155}}</ref>.

General characteristics

{{{crew}}}: The number of people needed to fly the aircraft.
{{{capacity}}}: The number of passengers the aircraft can carry.
{{{payload main}}}, {{{payload alt}}}, {{{payload more}}}: The amount of cargo the aircraft can carry.
{{{length main}}}, {{{length alt}}}: The length of the aircraft from nose to tail. For helicopters, this means the length of the fuselage without the rotor.
{{{span main}}}, {{{span alt}}}: The wingspan of a fixed-wing aircraft, or the diameter of the rotor for a helicopter.
{{{height main}}}, {{{height alt}}}
{{{area main}}}, {{{area alt}}}: The area of the wing of a fixed wing aircraft, or the total area of all rotors for rotorcraft.
{{{airfoil}}}: For fixed wing aircraft, the type of airfoil the wing uses. Eg, see NACA airfoil for information on airfoil types.
{{{empty weight main}}}, {{{empty weight alt}}}: The weight of the aircraft with nothing on it.
{{{loaded weight main}}}, {{{loaded weight alt}}}: The weight of the aircraft when loaded.
{{{useful load main}}}, {{{useful load alt}}}: The difference between the aircraft's maximum weight and empty weight.
{{{max takeoff weight main}}}, {{{max takeoff weight alt}}}, {{{max takeoff weight more}}}: The heaviest the aircraft can be and still get off the ground.
{{{more general}}}: A place to put anything else that is relevant

Engines

If there is any information that needs to be added after the engine specs, it should be added using the parameter {{{more general}}}. eg |more general=engines coupled through gearbox.

Propeller driven aircraft

{{{number of props}}}: The number of engines that drive the propellers. For fixed wing aircraft, this is usually—but not always—the same as the number of propellers.
{{{engine (prop)}}}: The model of engine the aircraft uses. Example: |engine (prop)=[[Pratt & Whitney R-4360]]-53 "Wasp Major".
{{{type of prop}}}: The configuration of the engine. Examples: |type of prop=liquid-cooled [[V12 engine]], |type of prop=[[turboprop]], |type of prop=[[radial engine]].
{{{power main}}}, ({{{power alt}}}): The power output of the engine.
{{{power original}}}: For some engines the power output may have been originally measured in an unconventional unit. For example, older German engines originally had their power measured in Pferdestärke (PS). Sample usage of this parameter: |power original=<ref>Originally measured as 15,000 [[Pferdestärke|PS]].
{{{power more}}}: More information on the power rating, such as the rpm of the engine.

Jet aircraft

{{{number of jets}}}: The number of jet engines or rockets the aircraft has.
{{{engine (jet)}}}: The model of jet or rocket used by the aircraft
{{{type of jet}}}: The configuration of jet, such as turbojet, turbofan, thermojet, rocket, etc.
{{{afterburning thrust main}}}, {{{afterburning thrust alt}}}: Thrust of the engine with afterburner, if applicable.
{{{thrust main}}}, {{{thrust alt}}}: The thrust of the engine; if the engine has afterburners, this parameter denotes dry thrust.
{{{afterburning thrust original}}}, {{{thrust original}}}: Some engines had their original measurements taken in unconventional units. For example, many Russian and Soviet engines were originally rated using kilogram-force.

Propeller model and configuration

{{{propeller or rotor?}}}: If it is a propeller on a fixed wing aircraft, specify |propeller or rotor?=propeller. If it is a rotor on a helicopter or other rotary wing aircraft, specify |propeller or rotor=rotor.
{{{propellers}}}: The model and configuration of the propellers. Example: |propellers=Three-bladed [[Hamilton Standard]].
{{{number of propellers per engine}}}: With some aircraft, multiple propellers will be driven off one engine. Use this parameter to specify the number per engine.
{{{propeller diameter main}}}, {{{propeller diameter alt}}}: Used to indicate the diameter of the propellers. For helicopters, the rotor diameter was already specified using the {{{span}}} parameter.

Performance

The available parameter fields are: Their use is fairly obvious.

| never exceed speed main =
| never exceed speed alt =
| never exceed speed more =

| max speed main =
| max speed alt =
| max speed more = (displays only when there is a value for max speed alt )

| cruise speed main =
| cruise speed alt =
| cruise speed more =

| stall speed main =
| stall speed alt =
| stall speed more =

| lift to drag =

| minimum control speed main =
| minimum control speed alt =
| minimum control speed more =

| range main =
| range alt =
| range more =

| combat radius main =
| combat radius alt =
| combat radius more =

| ferry range main =
| ferry range alt =
| ferry range more =

| endurance = (patrol aircraft and older aircraft may have this instead of range)

| ceiling main =
| ceiling alt =
| ceiling more =

| climb rate main =
| climb rate alt =
| climb rate more =

| sink rate main =
| sink rate alt =
| sink rate more =

| fuel consumption =

| performance more =

Armament

You can use |armament= followed by a bulletted list of the armaments, or omit that line entirely and use the following specific parameters. If you include the line |armament= at all—even with an empty value—then none of the following parameters will have any effect.

to specify the types of hardpoint weapons

Avionics

Will be added later