73194 - Design Methods in the Aerospace Industry

Learning outcomes

The student gains a clear understanding of the design process used in the aerospace industry to develop new products, to select the proper analysis/synthesis approach for designing new aircrafts and aerospace systems focusing on the conceptual and preliminary design phases.

Course contents

The course concerns the methods applied in the aerospace industry for using engineering knowledge and skills, in order to organize and carry out the design and development of new aircrafts, and aerospace systems in general. Focus is on aircraft design.

The course includes (i) lectures, case studies related to configurations of existing or future aircrafts; (ii) a practical part, in which students are organised in working groups: each team develops the preliminary design of an aircraft. The workflow is described in the following.

 

The first part of the course deals with the development of a new product in the aerospace industry, considering various aspects: the conditions that underlie the emergence of a new program, the meaning of the requirements and how to approach to the definition of a new program organising the design process.

Management issues are discussed for establishing the top level aircraft requirements, defining a trade-off between innovative and traditional configurations and determining the related technology requirements. Then the requirements are analysed in more detail in the framework of the conceptual design phase, in connection with market and mission issues. The dimensioning parameters or design variables of the new aircraft are identified. Methods for an initial baseline sizing are presented.

Having established the dimensioning parameters, various configurations are considered. Examples of design decisions made in relation to specific requirements are analysed, highlighting main advantages and disadvantages.

 

A third part is dedicated to trade-off and parametric methods for reaching a refined baseline design, integrating the design flows of the major subassemblies (fuselage/internal layout, wings, empennages, propulsion and other systems).

In the last part of the course, further phases are considered, with particular emphasis on the development, namely on the use of technology demonstrators, the impact of airworthiness regulations and the study of the full life cycle of the product. A chapter is devoted to economic evaluations.

 

Simulation tools are presented and their use in each design phase is highlighted.

 

The content is updated each academic year, with particular reference to the examples presented.

Readings/Bibliography

 “Northrop F-5A case study in aircraft design”, AIAA professional study series
 “A case study by Grumman Aerospace Corp. and Gulfstream America Corp. on the Gulfstream III”, AIAA professional study series
 “Airplane Design”, J. Roskam
 “The design of the aeroplane”, D. Stinton
 “Subsonic and supersonic airplane design”, G. Corning
 “Aerodynamics of the airplane”, H. Schlichting, E. Truckenbrodt
 “Aircraft design: a conceptual approach”, D. Raymer
 “Aircraft Design Projects for engineering students” L. R. Jenkinson J. F. Marchman III

Teaching methods

Presentations and lecture notes are available to the students attending the course. Students are invited to participate with comments, questions, criticism also related to examples of recent programs and aircrafts.

Students are organized in working groups, each of which consists of two to four students. Each group has a project assigned and is required to submit regular progress reports. The project will be documented in a technical report and presented at the end of the course making use of slideshows.

Assessment methods

Review of the project assigned during lessons; final project and report presentation; oral examination.

Teaching tools

PC for slideshows, traditional blackboard, design lab for rapid prototyping.

Office hours

See the website of Franco Persiani

See the website of Luca Piancastelli