Introduction to aircraft design

concept

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 Introduction
• “Engineering is in the end about making something.”
Covert, MIT

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 What is Design?
• Design is far more than sketching a pretty picture of your
dream aircraft and entering performance specification into all
purpose computer program and printing out a final design
report.
• Design is not just the actual layout, but also the analytical
process used to determine what should be designed and how
the design should be modified to better meet the
requirements.
• A good aircraft design seems to miraculously glide through
subsequent evaluations by specialist without major changes
being required.

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 What is Design?
• Somehow the landing gear fits, the fuel tanks are near the
centre of gravity, the structural members are simple and
lightweight, the overall arrangement provides good
aerodynamics, the engines install in a simple and clean
fashion etc…. All details seems to fall into place.
• This is by no accident, but rather the product of a lot of
knowledge and hard work by the designer.

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 What is Aircraft Design?
• The process of aircraft design is a complex combination of
numerous disciplines which have to be blended together to
yield the optimum configuration to meet a given requirement.
• Design is a systematic process – iterative procedure.
• One of the most important lessons that as a student of aircraft
design you will learn is that design is a iterative process.
• One does not draw a nice-looking concept, analyse its range
and performance, and stop there.
• You must identify all possible areas for improvement and
optimisation of your concept, then draw it again (and again, and
again ….!)

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 What is Aircraft Design?
• Aircraft Design draws upon all of the your previous
engineering instructions in structures, aerodynamics,
propulsion, control etc.
• Design requires that these individual academic subjects be
supplied to a problem concurrently.
• You will find that the best aerodynamic solution is not
equated to the best structural solution to a problem →
compromises will be made.
• Conflicting constraints imposed on the design will be
required to be dealt with.

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 What is Aircraft Design?
• You may also have to deal with real world political,
environmental, ethical and human factors.
• Furthermore, practical things like making sure that your ideal
wing design will pass through the hanger door!

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Why should we design a new aircraft?
• The world has accepted that flying is an efficient means of
quickly transporting:
–People,
–Cargo or equipment,
–Performing a wide range of other activities
• All operators need to increase:
–Efficiency
–Cost effectiveness
–Environmental compatibility and
–Safety

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Why should we design a new aircraft?
• It is often possible to do this by modifying either the design
or operation of existing aircraft.
• This is however limited by the inherent capabilities of the
original design and cost effectiveness of modification.
• Aircraft manufacturers are usually in the business of making
profit out of building aircraft.
• They may do this by means of:
–Building their own existing designs,
–Modifying their designs or licence-building the designs of
other companies.

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Why should we design a new aircraft?
• Another reason for initiation of new designs is to retain or
enhance their design capabilities.
• Requirements and aircraft specifications come from a number
of different sources, but they must all consider the needs of
the aircraft operators (airlines or defence)
• A certain path to disaster is to produce an aircraft that no one
will buy!!
• Two main means of deriving a requirement specification:
–Results of market surveys
–Individual aircraft operators specifications

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Why should we design a new aircraft?

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 Market Surveys
• The initial phase of probable demand or a new type of the
aircraft is further specified with the aid of market surveys,
further inquires and discussions with potential customers.
• Market research forms specialized discipline for which the large
aircraft companies employ a separate department or office,
while in smaller categories the work is often done by design
team.
• In either case, it is essential that the designer or the design team
is closely involved since there is no sense in starting a design
before the nature of the design requirements has been studied
from all angles and a clear picture has emerged on which to
base the general design philosophy.

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 Market Surveys
• The market survey will lead to an initial specification which
will mainly define the transport performance, payload and
maximum range, the cruising speed, the most relevant field and
climb performance, cabin arrangement, airframe services and
equipment, etc.
• It also have to made as to which set of airworthiness and
operational requirements the design will have to comply with.

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 Market Surveys
• The major aircraft manufacturers employ marketing departments
which produce annual reports.
–Historical data (analysed and extrapolated in such areas as world
economic indicators)
–World air traffic growth in revenue pax miles.
–Predictions of world capacity requirements for available seat miles
–Number of pax seats in various aircraft size categories
Why do we use small commercial aircraft for interstate flight and
large airliner for international trip?

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 Market Surveys
• Having determined the projected market for the aircraft, the next
stage is to examine existing and proposed competitors on that
market.
• Details of these aircraft are gathered and analysed to show
strengths and weaknesses.
• Comparison results to the “empirical database” of the aircraft
major characteristics.

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 Aircraft Leading data Tables
• Results form the compilation if a range of data that is useful
in the conceptual design process and as a “reality check” as
the design progresses.
• Information includes:
–Aircraft and engine performance data
–Comparison of type fuselage span, fuselage width, height,
wing span, sweep, no. engines, engine model.
–Weights: landing weight, empty operating weight, fuel,
payload
• This data is used for computerisation.

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 Aircraft Leading data Tables
• The final stage in the derivation of the specification is to
determine targets of how much to improve certain
performance parameters, comfort, pr costs, relative to the
competition.
• The aircraft must be significantly better in important areas to
stand a chance of selling well.
• Too great an improvement may not be achievable.
• Too little of an improvement may be too small to be
attractive.
• The above can be checked thorough the conceptual design
stage and the specification may be modified.

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 Operator Derived Specifications
• Military aircraft specifications are often derived using
operational research techniques (involving pilots &
engineers)
• Military involve heavily on data from existing aircraft which
need to be replaced or to be augmented by other aircraft.
• Airlines or groups of airliners know the capabilities of their
current fleet and make predications of traffic on current and
future routes

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 Operator Derived Specifications
• Short falls lead to specifications for new aircraft for their
particular requirements.
• The aircraft designer has to be careful not to follow
individual airline requirements to the exclusion of other
potential customers.

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 Specification for 150 seat airliner
• Led to the MD80 and Airbus A320 type designs
• 150 passenger, short range, twin engines aircraft designed
and constructed to the leading technology in both airframe
and propulsion systems.

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