AER 814 - Aircraft Design Project

 

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

 

Course Instructors:                Dr. J. Chung, EPH317, ext. 7213

Dr. S. Hashemi, KHS140B, ext. 6421

Ref: AER 814 Course Outline, AER 814 Course Facts Sheet

 

 

Introduction

 

The purpose of AER 814 is to provide students with an opportunity to participate in an aircraft design assignment similar to one which might be encountered in industry.  As in industry, you will be expected to work cooperatively within your design team, providing individual contributions that will aid in the overall design goal, and assisting others on the team when required.  As in industry, you will be expected to compete against alternative designs being proposed from outside your design group.  Students will be expected to complete interim design assignment outlining personal contributions to the project, and in addition, each design team will be required to submit a final group report.  An interim design review in which each student will verbally outline and defend his or her work to that point will also be required, and the groups will provide a final formal presentation of their design to the faculty review board and the other groups.

 

This year's requirement is an ultralight aircraft geared for the domestic and international market. This aircraft is to be designed for manufacturing and sale by the client aerospace company.

 

 

Design Task

 

The class will be split into four or five groups.  Each group will be responsible for completing the design of an aircraft which fulfils the requirements described below.

 

As is usually the case in industry, each group will produce its design in competition with the other groups.  In early April of 2004, each design will be reviewed and assessed by the faculty review board on the basis of merit, innovation and success in meeting stipulated design goals.  A winning design will then be selected.

 

 

Ultralight Aircraft, Basic Requirements

 

The requirement for a surveillance mission calls for an ultralight aircraft type that should operate based on a single pilot configuration and carry the mission related co-pilot/crew and equipments.  Because of the defined mission and type characteristics of the airplane in question, the aircraft must have outstanding airfield performances.  This will require the aircraft to be able to take-off and land from very short runways and be serviced by averagely skilled crew.  Most importantly, the aircraft should be able to offer the customer better operating economics than competing aircraft types while not compromising operating performances.  Even though the average sector distance of the proposed routes is only 200 statute miles, the customer would like to have a longer maximum range.  However, the customer company has not yet decided on powerplant and has asked the aircraft manufacturer to decide on the type.  There are many ultralight airplane kits that satisfy the requirements given below therefore creativity and innovations in design are very important.

 

The basic mission requirements for the proposed aircraft type are as follows:

 

Crews:	1 pilot, with the possibility to accommodate a 2nd co-pilot/mission crew, at 180 lbs each with 20 lbs. baggage/mission related equipments allowance
Performance:	No Minimum Take-off and Landing distance (as short as possible), Minimum Range at maximum fuel = 200 statute miles   Maximum operating altitude = 5,000 ft
Weights:	Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) = 950 lbs., Maximum Payload = 500 lbs

 

  

In addition to those basic requirements, the aircraft should meet the following criteria:

 

1. New airframe (do not use or upgrade an existing airframe), with use of lightweight composites and other advanced materials encouraged where appropriate.

2. Aircraft must be able to be certificated for land, snow and water operation under appropriate Canadian transport regulations, and optionally for operation under relevant international aviation regulations.

 

The open-ended requirements for an ultralight plane include: aesthetics, good handling qualities under the various flight conditions expected, easy maintenance, and the flight control instruments/cockpit environment. The design should be limited to the conventional fixed-wing type ultralight airplane; however more challenging/innovative designs are encouraged. The open-ended requirement for the aircraft manufacturer is a good market for this model, with a good return on the investment of money for prototype development and certification.

  

Powerplant

 

The groups may select a suitable engine configuration. The choice of powerplant should be justified by groups.  The candidate engine must currently be available from a manufacturer (i.e., at least a prototype has been built and tested), and capable of fulfilling the ultralight aircraft role.

 

Performance, Aerodynamics, Stability and Control, Structural Analysis and Design

 

It will be the responsibility of each group to define and assess its aircraft's performance requirements and then ensure that its aircraft attains them. This process will involve such aspects as powerplant selection, weights and balance, aerodynamic requirements (airfoil selection, wing planform, stabilizer design, etc.), stability and control requirements (roll/pitch/yaw static and dynamic stability, control surface sizing, etc.), design of accessories and accommodations for seating, mission related equipments and/or baggage.

 

Once this has been done, the design and load/stress analysis of the aircraft structure are to be completed.  Detailed stress analysis and structural design is only required for the wing.  For the other components of the structure, brief calculations demonstrating their ability to resist the primary loads will suffice.  A successful final design must include CAD drawings of all primary structures.

 

The design groups should develop an understanding of the interaction between various systems that make up the ultralight plane and that enable the aircraft to perform the desired mission(s), and this understanding should be demonstrated in the technical reports for maximum benefit.

 

 

Interim and Final Reports

 

Interim individual design assignments consistent with the student’s role in the design group will be given.  Individual group members are also required to give an interim presentation during the first and second weeks of March 2004 detailing their contribution to the group’s efforts up to that point.  The interim design assignments and individual presentation will comprise 40% of the overall grade. Interim report is expected from each student by 12:00 PM, Thursday February 19, 2004.

 

A final group report is expected from each group by 4 PM, Friday, April 2, 2004.  This report should comprise the work done by all members of the design team individually and together, and should be written in a cohesive, professional manner for maximum benefit.  Copies of the group report should be made available at the same time to the other groups, who in this friendly competition will be asked to prepare questions concerning technical aspects of the various designs that compete with their own.  Reports that are submitted late will almost surely eliminate the offending group(s) from winning the competition, so the groups should act well ahead of the deadline with regard to report preparation, printing and copying.

 

Finally, group presentations will be held on Thursday April 8, 2004 (20-min formal presentation followed by a 20-min question period, involving other groups as well as the faculty review board).  The group mark (60% of overall grade) will be comprised of the effort put into the report, the presentation, and importantly, the quantity and quality of inciting questions posed towards the other groups during their presentation.