Aircraft Conceptual Design: Tools, Processes and Examples

Dear Colleagues,

We seek technical papers related to the conceptual design of atmospheric flight vehicles including fixed- and rotary-wing vehicles, vehicles capable of subsonic through to hypersonic speeds, micro air vehicles and very large aircraft, general aviation vehicles, urban/on-demand mobility vehicles, and manned or unmanned aircraft. Because aircraft operators have renewed their interest in unconventional missions, which employ strategies that range from global-range high-speed cruising to zero-runway-length urban-based movement, the community focused on the technological aspects of aircraft has made significant progress in almost all traditional core aspects of aircraft: avionics (autonomy, sensors, and controls); materials and processes (manufacturing, compositions, and high-temperature materials); aerodynamics (flow control); and propulsion (alternative fuels, cycles, and electrification). Because of this, the design of future aircraft will need to employ novel or updated conceptual design tools and processes to support the trade studies necessary to establish their final, detailed specifications.

This Special Issue aims to present the most recent advancements in disciplines related to the conceptual design of aircraft, including, but not limited to, tools and processes which address the following areas:

• Aerodynamic forces and moments;
• Predictive methods used for aircraft weight and mass properties;
• External vehicle geometry and layout;
• Internal vehicle geometry and layout;
• Aircraft systems—size, weight, and power;
• Aircraft flight mechanics—performance and stability and control methods;
• Aircraft propulsion modelling;
• Aircraft design tools and processes which improve safety and ensure regulatory compliance.

We also seek papers showcasing system-level design studies of complete aircraft (both traditional and unconventional), as well as papers covering the requirements of the development process, with a focus on the following:

• Complete aircraft design;
• Aircraft design case studies and operational market and systems engineering Analyses;
• Aircraft requirement studies which drive system design; i.e., UAM, airport, air taxi, and hub and spoke studies;
• Assessment of integrated propulsion concepts at the aircraft level (open rotor, hybrid electric, H2, etc.);
• Assessment of integrated new technologies at the aircraft level (performance, production, cost);
• Conceptual design tool integration for aircraft (MBSE).

Prof. Dr. Timothy Takahashi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• aircraft design
• design engineering
• systems engineering
• conceptual design
• certification
• aerodynamics
• propulsion
• structures
• mass properties
• operations research