First we will look at the physics at the origin of drag and thrust, and derive basic models and representations like the drag polar.
Flight regimes
We will see here how the airspeed chosen to fly a stabilized phase of flight, like climb, final approach, or cruise, affects the behavior of the airplane, and why certain speeds are optimal for a given phase.
Cruise performance
Our main subject here is the distance we can fly with a given payload and fuel quantity, and how it relates with the design and operational characteristics of the airplane.