Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022)

A special issue of Aerospace (ISSN 2226-4310). This special issue belongs to the section "Aeronautics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 33820

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Guest Editor
Aircraft Design and Systems Group (AERO), Department of Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Berliner Tor 9, 20099 Hamburg, Germany
Interests: aircraft design; flight mechanics; aircraft systems; open access publishing
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Guest Editor
Department of Aerodynamic Energetic and Propulsion, Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (ISAE), Université de Toulouse, 31000 Toulouse, France
Interests: micro aerial vehicle and unsteady aerodynamics; compressible flows; applied aerodynamics; convective heat transfer; flow/ boundary layer manipulation; collaborative aircraft design; multiphase flows
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Honorary Guest Editor
Flight Performance and Propulsion, Delft University of Technology, Kluyverweg 1, 2629 HS Delft, The Netherlands
Interests: aircraft design
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Aircraft design is, as we know, the first fascinating step in the life of an aircraft, where visions are converted into reality.

In a practical sense, aircraft design supplies the geometrical description of the aircraft. Traditionally, the output is a three-view drawing and a list of aircraft parameters. Today, the output may also be an electronic 3D model. In the case of civil aircraft, a fuselage cross-section and a cabin layout are provided in addition.

In an abstract sense, aircraft design determines the design parameters to ensure that the requirements and constraints are met and design objectives are optimized. The fundamental requirements for civil aviation are payload and range. Many constraints come from certification rules demanding safety. The objectives are often of a financial nature, such as achieving the lowest operating costs. Aircraft design always strives for the best compromise among conflicting issues.

The design synthesis of an aircraft goes from the conceptual design to the detailed design. Frequently, expert knowledge is needed more than computing power. The typical work involves statistics, the application of inverse methods, and the use of optimization algorithms. Proposed designs are analyzed with respect to aerodynamics (drag), structure (mass), performance, stability and control, and aeroelasticity, to name just a few. A modern aircraft is a complex, computer-controlled combination of its structure, engines, and systems. Passengers demand high comfort at low fares, society demands environmentally friendly aircraft, and investors demand a profitable asset.

Overall aircraft design (OAD) comprises all aircraft types in civil and military use and considers all major aircraft components (wing, fuselage, tail, undercarriage), as well as the integration of engines and systems. The aircraft is seen as part of the air transport system and beyond contributing to multimodal transport. Aircraft design applies the different aerospace sciences and considers the aircraft during its whole life cycle. Authors from all economic sectors (private, public, civic, and general public) are invited to submit papers to this Special Issue (SI). Education and training in aircraft design is considered as important as research in the field.

The SI can be a home for those active in the European Workshop on Aircraft Design Education (EWADE) or the Symposium on Collaboration in Aircraft Design (SCAD), both independent activities under the CEAS Technical Committee Aircraft Design (TCAD). Please see http://AircraftDesign.org for details.

Following the successful initial Special Issue on “Aircraft Design (SI-1/2017)” and the relaunch with “Aircraft Design (SI-2/2020)” and “Aircraft Design (SI-3/2021)”, this will be the fourth SI in sequence named “Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022)”. The editorial “Publishing in 'Aircraft Design' with a Continuous Open Access Special Issue” describes the history, the set up, and idea behind this SI sequence. The editorial was published on 14 Jan 2020 as https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace7010005.

Activities in the past have shown that aircraft design may be a field too small to justify its own (subscription-based) journal. A continuous open access Special Issue may fill this gap. As such, the Special Issue “Aircraft Design” can be a home for all those working in the field who regret the absence of an aircraft design journal.

The Special Issue "Aircraft Design" is open to the full range of article types. It is a place to discuss the "hot topics" (zero-emission airplanes, electric flight, urban air mobility—you name it). The classic topics in aircraft design remain:

  • Innovative aircraft concepts;
  • Methodologies and tools for aircraft design and optimization;
  • Reference aircraft designs and case studies with data sets.

It is up to us as authors to shape the Special Issue “Aircraft Design” according to our interests through the manuscripts we submit.

Prof. Dr. Dieter Scholz
Dr. Emmanuel Bénard
Prof. Egbert Torenbeek
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Aerospace is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

32 pages, 21274 KiB  
Article
Concept of a Modular Multirotor Heavy Lift Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Platform
by Denis Kotarski, Petar Piljek, Marko Pranjić and Josip Kasać
Aerospace 2023, 10(6), 528; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10060528 - 1 Jun 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3256
Abstract
This paper presents a novel concept of a modular multirotor aerial robotic platform that can be used for specific profiles of heavy payload missions. A comprehensive mathematical model of the multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is presented, which is divided into the dynamic [...] Read more.
This paper presents a novel concept of a modular multirotor aerial robotic platform that can be used for specific profiles of heavy payload missions. A comprehensive mathematical model of the multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is presented, which is divided into the dynamic model and the control allocation scheme that describes the configuration of the aircraft. The components of the propulsion and energy module are selected, and the characterization of the propulsion units is carried out, as well as a preliminary analysis of the module parameters with regard to the considered payloads from 5 to 50 kg. The main goal is to design a modular aircraft that consists of easy-to-assemble modules and that enables the assembly of different propulsion and energy module configurations. Based on the analysis of system parameters, a modular aerial system is designed and the process of manufacturing using rapid prototyping technologies is presented. Based on the parameters obtained from the aircraft assembly CAD model and the implemented mathematical model, simulations are conducted for the two considered missions in the field of smart agriculture. For the purpose of conducting preliminary experiments, a quadrotor aircraft is built and tested in the case of attitude and remote control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022))
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24 pages, 4383 KiB  
Article
Preliminary Aero-Elastic Optimization of a Twin-Aisle Long-Haul Aircraft with Increased Aspect Ratio
by Francesco Toffol and Sergio Ricci
Aerospace 2023, 10(4), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10040374 - 15 Apr 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3048
Abstract
This paper presents a preliminary study on the improvement of the fuel efficiency of a civil transport aircraft, focusing on the aero-elastic optimization of an increased aspect ratio wingbox. The wing is stretched, increasing its aspect ratio, and a trade-off between the improved [...] Read more.
This paper presents a preliminary study on the improvement of the fuel efficiency of a civil transport aircraft, focusing on the aero-elastic optimization of an increased aspect ratio wingbox. The wing is stretched, increasing its aspect ratio, and a trade-off between the improved aerodynamic efficiency and the structural mass identifies an optimal aspect ratio for such aircraft. The aeroelastic optimization is performed with NeOPT, a structural optimizer for conceptual and preliminary design phases. The analysis considers different materials and structural solutions for the wingbox and tackles aeroelastic constraints, such as flutter and aileron efficiency, from the preliminary design phases. The fuel consumption of the sized aircraft is evaluated with a simplified approach that provides an indication of the fuel efficiency. The results show how a composite wing with increased aspect ratio can save up to 6.9% of fuel burnt with respect to the baseline aluminum wing. The results are extended at fleet level, achieving a 2-million-ton cut in CO2 emissions and a saving of USD 1.28 million on fuel-related costs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022))
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23 pages, 15357 KiB  
Article
Multidisciplinary Optimization and Analysis of Stratospheric Airships Powered by Solar Arrays
by Jiwei Tang, Weicheng Xie, Pingfang Zhou, Hui Yang, Tongxin Zhang and Quanbao Wang
Aerospace 2023, 10(1), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace10010043 - 2 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2906
Abstract
Stratospheric airships have much potential in military and commercial applications. Design, analysis and optimization of stratospheric airships involves complex trade-off of different disciplines, and hence a multidisciplinary approach is essential. This paper describes a methodology coupling several disciplines and involving seven design variables [...] Read more.
Stratospheric airships have much potential in military and commercial applications. Design, analysis and optimization of stratospheric airships involves complex trade-off of different disciplines, and hence a multidisciplinary approach is essential. This paper describes a methodology coupling several disciplines and involving seven design variables to obtain the optimal design of a stratospheric airship powered by solar arrays. A numerical method is established to calculate the output power of the solar array in the optimization process. The optimal solutions are obtained using hybrid algorithms. The methodology can obtain the optimal envelope shape, solar array layout and other general configurations of subsystems. Results show that the methodology was able to achieve a solution with a 19.2% reduction in airship volume compared to the value being part of an arbitrary initial set of airship parameters. In addition, a comparative study is carried out to highlight the importance of considerations of solar array layouts and array circumferential location. Furthermore, detailed sensitivity analysis shows that operating parameters of latitudes, heading angles and average resisting wind speeds have significant effects on the airship design and solar array layouts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022))
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16 pages, 4131 KiB  
Article
Three-Dimensional Flight Envelope for V/STOL Aircraft with Multiple Flight Modes
by Tielin Ma, Xiangsheng Wang, Jingcheng Fu, Shuai Hao and Pu Xue
Aerospace 2022, 9(11), 691; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace9110691 - 5 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2790
Abstract
Vertical or short take-off and landing (V/STOL) aircraft generally have three flight modes, namely, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), conversion, and cruise, according to the variable angle of propulsion direction to the fuselage axis. However, the traditional flight envelope or conversion corridor lacks [...] Read more.
Vertical or short take-off and landing (V/STOL) aircraft generally have three flight modes, namely, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL), conversion, and cruise, according to the variable angle of propulsion direction to the fuselage axis. However, the traditional flight envelope or conversion corridor lacks the capability to comprehensively present the flight characteristics of these three modes. Pursuant to this, the purpose of this paper was to present a three-dimensional (3D) flight envelope that combines propulsion direction, airspeed, and altitude in one figure. The 3D envelope was constructed subject to the constraints of power rating and equilibrium conditions. To verify its effectiveness, the flight data of XV-15 was used to generate the 3D envelope, following the projection along with the cross-section, which was compared with the traditional flight envelope and conversion corridor, respectively. The maximum specific excess power (SEP) of each flight state was also promptly obtained. In the case study, the flight performance of a rotor-wing aircraft was comprehensively analyzed using the generated 3D envelope. The proposed method in this study exhibited its versatility and capability to demonstrate the performance in all flight modes intuitively, which promoted the efficiency of V/STOL aircraft flight performance analysis as well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022))
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19 pages, 12047 KiB  
Article
Optimization Framework for Early Conceptual Design of Helicopters
by Ludvig Knöös Franzén, Ingo Staack, Petter Krus and Kristian Amadori
Aerospace 2022, 9(10), 598; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace9100598 - 13 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3015
Abstract
This work illustrates how a proposed method can be used to create optimization frameworks for early conceptual design studies and to increase overall knowledge at an early design stage. The method is intended to facilitate concept selection in challenging domains that typically involve [...] Read more.
This work illustrates how a proposed method can be used to create optimization frameworks for early conceptual design studies and to increase overall knowledge at an early design stage. The method is intended to facilitate concept selection in challenging domains that typically involve multidisciplinary design problems with contradictory requirements. The main focus of the work presented here is on the conceptual design of helicopters; however, the method is intended to be applicable to early design studies in other domains as well. In short, statistics about existing helicopters are collected and compiled to provide a basis for various regression analyses. The purpose of this is to unravel relationships in the data and to obtain simple estimation models from statistical regressions that can be used in conjunction with existing formulas and equations to generate an initial helicopter design estimate. Models for each discipline, such as aerodynamics, are then created using the outcomes of the regression analyses and existing equations. Lastly, the method is used to define a multidisciplinary design optimization framework incorporating all the models obtained from the different disciplines. A case study based on search and rescue operations is used to test the proposed framework in order to obtain possible first suggestions for the baseline design of a new general-purpose search and rescue helicopter. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022))
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19 pages, 6293 KiB  
Article
Decompression Load Analysis in Large Passenger Planes with Windshield Cracked
by Wenbin He, Xi Yang, Ding Luo, Jiang Lei, Zhimao Li, Shiquan Lin and Congxiao Zhang
Aerospace 2022, 9(9), 517; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace9090517 - 16 Sep 2022
Viewed by 3407
Abstract
To prevent the possible accident of a large passenger plane due to rapid decompression, transient load analysis is of vital importance in the assessment of structure strength and also an important clause of airworthiness standard. A 0-D isentropic model and a 1-D model [...] Read more.
To prevent the possible accident of a large passenger plane due to rapid decompression, transient load analysis is of vital importance in the assessment of structure strength and also an important clause of airworthiness standard. A 0-D isentropic model and a 1-D model based on the characteristic line are developed to simulate the rapid decompression process of the cockpit-cabin model due to a cracked windshield. The accuracy of these models is presented by comparing them with experiments and 3-D CFD simulations. Then, the 1-D model is applied to study the influence of cabin and cockpit volume, windshield and decompression panel area, compartments, and environment pressure on the decompression load. The non-dimensional decompression time and the non-dimensional decompression load are developed to evaluate the decompression characteristics, and the correlation equations are established. The relative deviation between the results of the correlation equation fit and the results of the one-dimensional simulation is less than 3%. This work provides a new engineering method for structure strength design and decompression load analysis with high accuracy and low resource consumption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022))
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22 pages, 1586 KiB  
Article
A Formulation of the Industrial Conceptual Design Optimization Problem for Commercial Transport Airplanes
by Hikaru Takami and Shigeru Obayashi
Aerospace 2022, 9(9), 487; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace9090487 - 31 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2380
Abstract
A realistic industrial conceptual design optimization problem for commercial transport airplanes was formulated with reasonable fidelity and comprehensiveness by selecting appropriate design parameters, constraints, and objectives, in order to provide a baseline to facilitate research on developing robust and efficient optimization methods for [...] Read more.
A realistic industrial conceptual design optimization problem for commercial transport airplanes was formulated with reasonable fidelity and comprehensiveness by selecting appropriate design parameters, constraints, and objectives, in order to provide a baseline to facilitate research on developing robust and efficient optimization methods for the industrial conceptual design of such airplanes. As a sample problem, a multiobjective simultaneous optimization of the design parameters for two types of civil passenger transport airplanes that constitute a family, with identical wing and tail geometries but different performance specifications, was performed using a genetic algorithm coupled with a constraint-handling technique. The results indicated that a realistic industrial conceptual design optimization of commercial transport airplanes, including simultaneous optimization of family airplanes, could be performed with the formulation. The findings from the sample optimization were also presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022))
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21 pages, 9578 KiB  
Article
Research on Mechanical Properties of V-Type Folded Core Sandwich Structures
by Zehao Cui, Zhijin Wang and Feng Cao
Aerospace 2022, 9(8), 398; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace9080398 - 25 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2640
Abstract
A folded core is a three-dimensional configuration formed by folding a flat sheet of paper. Similar to foam and honeycomb, folded cores are widely used in aerospace as the cores for sandwich structures due to their excellent mechanical properties and light structural weight. [...] Read more.
A folded core is a three-dimensional configuration formed by folding a flat sheet of paper. Similar to foam and honeycomb, folded cores are widely used in aerospace as the cores for sandwich structures due to their excellent mechanical properties and light structural weight. In general, the core’s configuration is heterogeneous and anisotropic, while from a macroscopic point of view it is considered homogeneous. Analytical solutions of equivalent mechanical properties are generally obtained by equivalent methods and modified by numerical simulations due to the complexity of the configuration. We can find the best combination of a core’s parameters by using analytical solutions. The faceted regular folded configuration (RFC), consisting of repetitive identical cells, can be expanded to a plane. According to the principle of equivalent load-deformation, this article investigates the equivalent mechanical properties of the V-type folded core (VFC). The analytical solutions of Ez—equivalent elastic modulus in Direction z, equivalent shear modulus in Plane xz—Gxz, and equivalent shear modulus in Plane yz—Gyz have been obtained and verified by numerical simulations. In addition, the reliability of the equivalent mechanical properties is further demonstrated by the case study. By applying the analytical solutions, the optimization process of VFC can be simplified and sped up, which is of great engineering significance to the aircraft design process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022))
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35 pages, 2732 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Future Airframe and Propulsion Technologies on Sustainability of Next-Generation Mid-Range Aircraft
by Stanislav Karpuk, Rolf Radespiel and Ali Elham
Aerospace 2022, 9(5), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace9050279 - 23 May 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5063
Abstract
The present work demonstrates the impact of future airframe and propulsion technologies on the sustainability of potential future medium-range commercial jets with design specifications similar to the Airbus A320-200. Advanced airframe and engine technologies include laminar flow control (LFC), active load alleviation, new [...] Read more.
The present work demonstrates the impact of future airframe and propulsion technologies on the sustainability of potential future medium-range commercial jets with design specifications similar to the Airbus A320-200. Advanced airframe and engine technologies include laminar flow control (LFC), active load alleviation, new materials and structures, and ultra-high bypass ratio turbofan engines. Two aircraft configurations with various design options were compared to determine potentially the best option for the mission profile, which tends to minimize the environmental impact. Each configuration was designed to balance the equivalent CO2 emissions and Direct Operating Costs. Technology sensitivity analyses were performed to investigate the significance of particular technology combinations and determine the ones that improve aircraft sustainability the most. All studies were performed at a conceptual design level using a multi-fidelity design approach to investigate the system-level effects of the technologies. The open-source aircraft design environment SUAVE was extended and integrated with other aircraft design and analysis tools to obtain all required correlations. The aircraft with advanced technologies showed an average reduction in equivalent CO2 emissions of 36% and a 23% reduction in DOC compared to the reference aircraft for a similar mission profile, although aircraft with future technologies may have a 43% higher production cost. The given results indicate that the application of technologies may be commercially successful if technologies achieve expected performance values, despite high development costs. Finally, the technology sensitivity analysis demonstrated the most significant influence of engine-related technologies and laminar flow control compared to other technologies considered in this research. Depending on design and integration complexities, engine technologies can be more achievable in the near future and can substantially reduce the overall emission level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aircraft Design (SI-4/2022))
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