Why do jet engines work better in thin air than dence air?
They work more efficiently in less dense air. In the jet engines there is a unit called the ‘Fuel Control Unit’ (FCU). The FCU automatically maintains the ratio of fuel and air. At sea level where the air is denser it supplies a set amount of fuel for ideal combustion. This ratio is maintained by the FCU. Once the aircraft is flying at altitude, the air is less dense and, consequently, in order to maintain the same ratio, it supplies less fuel. So the higher the jet operates, the more efficient it becomes because the denisty of air keeps decreasing thereby decreasing the amount of fuel required for ideal combustion.
