What does positive thrust to weight ratio mean?
The ratio compares the thrust of the engine to the weight of the aircraft. The higher the ratio, the more powerful the aircraft. Most combat aircraft have had between 0.7 to 0.9 thrust to weight ratio. The F-15 and F-16 fighter models actually have a thrust to weight ratio of greater than 1.0 which allows them to climb vertically. To put it in perspective, the F/A-18 Hornet (at fighter mission weight) is 36,700lbs@32,000lbs of thrust. This is about .87:1 thrust to weight ratio performance at a cost of $39.5 million dollars. By conrast, a 747-400 has 0.27:1 thrust to weight ratio. The Turbine Toucans performance is better then 1.5:1 with pilot and fuel.
