presented by

Filip Lambert
Lambert Aircraft Engineering

RAeS Conference
Tue 24 Nov 2009

WWW.LAMBERT- AIRCRAFT.COM
 AIRCRAFT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT MARKETING

CERTIFICATION

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

PRELIMINARY DESIGN

DETAIL DESIGN CONTINUED DETAIL DESIGN & SUPPORT DESIGN

DESIGN
PROCESS PROTOTYPE CONSTRUCTION
FREEZE CONFIGURATION

TESTING FLIGHT TESTING

AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION
FIRST FLIGHT

T YPE CERT.
 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN STAGE

MAIN OBJECTIVE
define the specification & configuration(s) which will be the basis
for the next stage (preliminary design)

or, in the real world:

propose the configuration that will best meet the customer
requirement and convince him to go ahead and sign the cheque
for the preliminary design stage

GENERAL
- starting point = 100+ years of aircraft design experience
- meet customer requirements
- iterative process
- narrow down to 1 (or more) configurations
- first GO / NO-GO decision
 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN STAGE

INITIAL DESIGN SPECIFICATION

- based on market survey
role description
- customer requirement
range, payload, speed,
- personal airplane idea
specific requirements & features
Check with customer/requirements

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
- study existing airplanes, their pros and cons
- is there a need to design a new airplane?
- what are the alternatives?

SELECT / REJECT CONFIGURATION(S)

- pressurised or not?
- single or twin, piston or turbine? certification standard
- conventional, canard, certification route

INITIAL BASELINE DESIGN(S)

AIRCRAFT CATEGORIES AND CERTIFICATION STANDARDS
2730 / 5700

1 500

EASA
TYPE CERTIFICATE
1150

1 000 CS-23
NATIONAL
HOMEBUILT or
EXPERIMENTAL 750
CATEGORY
CS-VLA
500
450 / 472.5
NATIONAL
MICROLIGHT
CATEGORY
BCAR-Section S
OTHER STANDARDS
(115)
NATIONAL SSDR CATEGORY CS-22: gliders
0 BCAR-T: autogyros
CS-VLR: rotorcraft
FIXED WING AIRCRAFT CS-27: rotorcraft
: lighter than air
AIRCRAFT CATEGORIES: REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS

MICROLIGHT HOMEBUILT EASA CS-23 EASA CS-VLA

Regulating body National National EASA (EU) EASA (EU)
Max. number of seats 2 4 10 2
MTOW 450 kg 1150 kg 5700 kg 750 kg
Max. stall speed 35 kt (65 km/h) 55 kt (102 km/h) 61 kt (113 km/h) 45 kt (83 km/h)
Categories N N, U, A N, U, A N
Flight Conditions Day VFR Day VFR VFR/IFR Day/night Day VFR
Engine Type Certificate Not required Not required CS-E CS-E or CS-22
Engine Operation On condition On condition To TBO To TBO
Equipment Certificate (std) Not required Not required TSO TSO
Equipment Certificate (opt) Not required Not required TSO and STC TSO and STC
Modification requirements Quite simple Quite simple Through EASA Through EASA
Aerial work permitted Yes No Yes Yes
Min. pilot licence required Microlight PL NPPL NPPL NPPL
Owner maintenance, repair & Yes Yes Limited Limited
modifications maintenance maintenance
 PRELIMINARY DESIGN STAGE

MAIN OBJECTIVE
make decisions, define a large number of parameters, derive all
data necessary to a detailed technical aircraft description
based on:
- statistical probabilities that technical aims will be achieved
- laws of phyics (aerodynamics, theory of flight, control & stability,
- available data (e.g. wing section data, engine data, )

or, in the real world:

end up with a technical description that convinces the customer to go
ahead and sign the cheque you need to do the detail design and build
a prototype
 PRELIMINARY DESIGN STAGE
INITIAL CONCEPT
- Start with initial parameters (fuselage size,
wing area, engine power, MTOW,)

ADD WEIGHT & DRAG ESTIMATE

PARAMETERS

PERFORMANCE ESTIMATE
MAKE ADJUSTMENTS
AS NECESSARY

PARAMETRIC OPTIMISATION

STABILITY & CONTROL

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

WRITE TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION &

GENERAL ARRANGEMENT
DRAWINGS
 PRELIMINARY DESIGN STAGE

INFORMATION SOURCES
Textbooks
- D. Howe: Aircraft Conceptual Design Synthesis
- D. Stinton: The Design of the Aeroplane
- R.D. Hiscocks: Design of Light Aircraft
- Roskams bible
-
(Semi)-empirical data
- ESDU data sheets
- NACA & NASA reports
Specific product information
- engine & propeller specifications,
- reverse analysis of existing aircraft
 PRELIMINARY DESIGN STAGE

DO IT FASTER, CHEAPER AND BETTER

Typically, more than half the time spend in conceptual and preliminary
design will be on very elaborate and sometimes tedious iterations
Computer programmes can be a very efficient tool to:
- reduce time spent on number crunching at your desk
- take things into consideration that would be ommited in manual work
- optimise further than you would otherwise by hand
- investigate alternatives and compare your project

However, in just 1 second todays computers can come up with

more nonsense than you could in your entire life,
so a good knowledge of aircraft design theory is essential before
you get in the drivers seat of your software package!!!
 PRELIMINARY DESIGN STAGE

ILLUSTRATION

Mission M106 ULM category

472.5 kg MTOW
82 bhp @ 2850 rpm
3 blade prop, 152 cm (60)

Mission M108 Light Sport Aircraft

600 kg MTOW, typical AUW 550 kg
82 bhp @ 2850 rpm
How about the propeller?

The designers options are:

1. Do a manual analysis
2. Do a computer analysis
3. Ask the prop manufacturer to suggest a propeller
4. Dont worry, do nothing
 PRELIMINARY DESIGN STAGE

RESULTS
Software used: ADS-Professional

Propeller 3-blade 2-blade

152 cm (60) dia 168 cm (66) dia
Rate of climb ft/min (m/s) 746 (3,73) 795 (3,98)
Cruise speed kt (km/h) 82,6 (153) 82 (152)
Blade angle deg 17 15
Activity factor - same

CONCLUSION
1. Manual analysis: 1 day (& night), depending on your starting point
2. Computer analysis: < 15 min
DETAIL DESIGN STAGE

LOADING ACTIONS CERTIFICATION

STANDARD

STRUCTURAL LAYOUT
- define layout of major structural
components (spars, beams, )

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

DETAIL DESIGN & STRESSING

DETAIL DRAWINGS

MAKE TEST ARTICLES

STRUCTURAL TESTS

WRITE REPORTS
FOR CERTIFICATION
 DETAIL DESIGN STAGE

INFORMATION SOURCES
Textbooks
- Bruhn: Analysis & Design of Flight Vehicle Structures
- Niu: Airfame Structural Design
-
(Semi)-empirical data
- ESDU data sheets
-
Specific product information
- Manufacturers data & specs:
material (mechanical properties)
off-the-shelf components (hardware)
 DETAIL DESIGN STAGE

DO IT FASTER, CHEAPER AND BETTER

Likewise, computer programmes can help to reduce time spent on the
drawing board:
- for analysis:
simple software to for 2D and 3D frame structures
complex Finite Element analysis (ideal for optimisation)
- for drawings: CAD software (3D)
design the entire aircraft in CAD, with further processing of data
for:
- 2D production drawings
- 3D assembly drawings (exploded views)
- parts list (inventory)
- illustrated parts catalog
 AIRCRAFT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT MARKETING

CERTIFICATION

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

PRELIMINARY DESIGN

DETAIL DESIGN CONTINUED DETAIL DESIGN & SUPPORT DESIGN

DESIGN
PROCESS PROTOTYPE CONSTRUCTION
FREEZE CONFIGURATION

TESTING FLIGHT TESTING

AIRCRAFT PRODUCTION
FIRST FLIGHT

T YPE CERT.
WWW.LAMBERT- AIRCRAFT.COM
 thank you for your attention
enjoy the rest of the day
drive home carefully
see you back next time

WWW.LAMBERT- AIRCRAFT.COM