Final answer:
To calculate the engine efficiency of an aircraft, determine the work done by the engines and the energy required for the climb and acceleration. Divide the energy by the work done and multiply by 100 for efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calculating the Efficiency of an Aircraft Engine
The question pertains to calculating the engine efficiency of an aircraft during its ascent to cruising altitude and speed. First, we can find the total work done (in joules) by the plane's engines by converting the power from horsepower to watts and then multiplying by the time in seconds. Next, we calculate the total energy required to reach the cruising altitude and speed. The gravitational potential energy (GPE) can be calculated as GPE = m × g × h, where m is the mass of the aircraft, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and h is the altitude. The kinetic energy (KE) can be calculated as KE = 0.5 × m × v², where v is the speed.
Once we have the total energy required, we find the efficiency by dividing the sum of GPE and KE by the total work done by the engines, and multiplying by 100 to obtain a percentage. Given that air resistance is neglected, this shall give us the theoretical maximum efficiency of the aircraft's engines during the ascent.
Note: The detailed calculations are not included as they were not required in the user request and specific values for the aircraft's mass, altitude, and velocity were not provided.