Advanced Aircraft Design (PDF)

Although the overall appearance of modern airliners has not
changed a lot since the introduction of jetliners in the 1950s,
their safety, efficiency and environmental friendliness have
improved considerably. Main contributors to this have been gas
turbine engine technology, advanced materials, computational
aerodynamics, advanced structural analysis and on-board systems.
Since aircraft design became a highly multidisciplinary activity,
the development of multidisciplinary optimization (MDO) has become
a popular new discipline. Despite this, the application of MDO
during the conceptual design phase is not yet widespread.

Advanced Aircraft Design: Conceptual Design, Analysis and
Optimization of Subsonic Civil Airplanes presents a
quasi-analytical optimization approach based on a concise set of
sizing equations. Objectives are aerodynamic efficiency, mission
fuel, empty weight and maximum takeoff weight. Independent design
variables studied include design cruise altitude, wing area and
span and thrust or power loading. Principal features of
integrated concepts such as the blended wing and body and highly
non-planar wings are also covered.

The quasi-analytical approach enables designers to compare the
results of high-fidelity MDO optimization with lower-fidelity
methods which need far less computational effort. Another advantage
to this approach is that it can provide answers to "what
if" questions rapidly and with little computational cost.

Key features:

* Presents a new fundamental vision on conceptual airplane design
optimization

* Provides an overview of advanced technologies for propulsion
and reducing aerodynamic drag

* Offers insight into the derivation of design sensitivity
information

* Emphasizes design based on first principles

* Considers pros and cons of innovative configurations

* Reconsiders optimum cruise performance at transonic Mach
numbers

Advanced Aircraft Design: Conceptual Design, Analysis and
Optimization of Subsonic Civil Airplanes advances understanding
of the initial optimization of civil airplanes and is a must-have
reference for aerospace engineering students, applied researchers,
aircraft design engineers and analysts.