DESIGN SEGMENTS &TIMELINE

FRAMING
 PHASES OF AIRCRAFT DESIGN

• Conceptual Design:
• Overall shape, size, weight and performance check.

• Preliminary Design:
• Structural and control system analysis and design. Wind tunnel tests and CFD calculations. Test bed experiments are
carried out.Aerodynamic, structural, propulsion, control and performance aspects to be decided.

• Detailed Design:
• “Nuts and bolts” phase of design. Fabrication & precise design of ribs, spars and skin sections. Development of flight
simulators.

• Interim summary:
• All the above design phases are summarised.
 PROJECT OVERVIEW

Project requirements

Establish
Objectives

Limitations Propulsion
Parameters Wing and Tail
Optimization Reference
Analysis Results Structure
Support

Fulfil objectives

Aircraft with
Capabilities
 1. Mission Requirements
CONCEPTUAL
DESIGN: PROCEDURE
2. Weight of the proposed airplane

3. Critical Performance parameters

a) Maximum Lift Coefficient CLmax
Mission Requirements: b) Lift to Drag ratio
V Cruise = 45-83 m/s
c) Wing Loading
Weight Class = 600-800kg
Endurance = 1 hour
d) Thrust to weight ratio
All electric aircraft
Payload = 200 kg
4. Configuration layout --- Shape and size of the airplane
on a drawing

Iterate
5. Better weight estimate – With valid ratios

6. Performance analysis – Check on whether design meet No

design requirements ?

Yes

7. Optimization – Is it the best design ?

WING DESIGN: Identify and prioritize wing design requirements
PROCEDURE
Select no of wings

Select wing vertical location

Select sweep/dihedral angles

Select or design aerofoil section

Determine other parameters (AR, 𝜆,iw , ɑ𝑡)

Calculate lift, drag and pitching moment

Requirements No
satisfied ?
Yes
Optimization

Calculate b,MAC, Ctip & Croot

 WING DESIGN: PRE -REQUISITES
Steps
1. Identify and prioritize wing design requirements
2. Select no of wings
3. Select wing vertical location
4. Select sweep/dihedral angles
5. Select or design aerofoil section
6. Determine other parameters (AR, 𝜆,iw , ɑ𝑡)
7. Calculate lift, drag and pitching moment
8. Requirements satisfied ?
9. Optimization
10. Calculate b,MAC, Ctip & Croot
Parameters required for selection
Mission requirements(650-800kg weight class, 55-83 m/s Vcruise, Endurance- 60 Minutes)
A single wing usually has a longer wing span compared with two wings (with the same
total area).
High Wing Configuration
Aircraft dihedral effect CLβ . For sweep, span, Ctip & Croot are required.
Existing Electric aircraft’s aerofoils are named and tested in wind tunnel.
From the curves obtained for CL Vs ɑ , CD Vs ɑ & CM Vs ɑ : we can select an airfoil
based on its characteristics for following criteria: CLMax, Cdmin, Clαmax , Lowest Cm ,
structurally reinforce able
Taper Ratio Range = 0.25 - 0.5 (GA aircraft)
Mathematically calculated
It refers to the condition that if used configuration successfully generates enough lift to
sustain the flight.
Optimization is done for various possible values and we attain at a Optimal value which
successfully validates our mission requirements.
Once we arrive at all possible values for planform geometry , We can calculate critical
parameters too which help in determining correct CG of airplane.
STEPS
1. Maximum Lift Coefficient CLmax
i. Comparison of aerofoils CLalpha Curves & Evaluation of drag bucket .
ii. We can finalise Angle of attack

2. Wing loading
1
i. W = L = ∗ ρ ∗ V 2 ∗ S ∗ CL , We know V(cruise or stall) & CL and hence we can calculate Wing loading (W/S).
2

ii. Since we already know Weight of proposed design we can calculate area of wing on which lift is generated.
𝑊
𝑆 = 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡/( )
𝑆
𝑇 1
3. Thrust to weight Ratio : 𝑊 max = 𝐿
𝐷 𝑚𝑎𝑥

𝐿 1
4. Aspect Ratio : = , Using this K can be calculated .
𝐷 𝑚𝑎𝑥 4𝐶𝑑0 𝐾
1
𝐾= , Using this AR can be calculated .
𝜋𝐴𝑅 𝑒

Now using geometry methods we can obtain span (b) of the wing .

5. Taper ratio : It is to be selected from literature survey .Taper Ratio Range = 0.25 - 0.5 (GA aircraft)
Using 𝜆 , we can calculate Ct , Cr, MAC .

6. Dihedral & sweep angle : Also to be selected from Literature survey of wing location . Wing twist is not
provided because our plan is to employ propellers on wing.
 Identify and Prioritize the Tail Design Requirements
TAIL DESIGN: (Trim, Stability, control, operational requirements)
PROCEDURE
Select Tail Configuration

Vertical Tail Horizontal Tail

Select Vertical Tail Volume Co-efficient Select Horizontal tail location

Select horizontal tail volume coefficient

Determine tail arm

Determine optimum tail arm

Determine planform area
Determine planform area
Determine aerofoil selection
Determine aerofoil selection
Determine aspect and taper ratios
(AR, λ), and sweep angle (۸) Determine sweep and dihedral angles

Determine aspect and taper ratio

Determine the Setting Angle
Calculating setting angle
Calculate b, MAC, Cr, Ct
Calculate b, MAC, Cr, Ct

Check spin Check tail

No recovery stall No
Yes Yes
Analyse longitudinal and directional stability and optimize
STEPS

1. Tail aerofoil : Generally symmetrical aerofoils are used for tail of the aircrafts. Such as NACA 0009 .

2. Tail Volume coefficient : It is selected taking into account the stability criteria of wing, from a list of values .
The fighter aircraft -- 0.2., Jet transport aircraft -- 1.1
𝑆𝑡𝑙𝑡
𝑉=
𝑆𝐶
3. Tail arm lt : Tail arm is selected considering where we want our neutral point to be so that airplane is trimmed
most of the time . Generally it is 1/4 Chord of wing M.A.C. to 1/4 Chord of Stab/Elevator M.A.C.
“To calculate tail size, the moment arm must be estimated. This can be approximated at this stage of
design by a percent of the fuselage length.”

4. Tail area : Once tail arm is known , St Tail area can be easily calculated.
Now using geometry methods we can obtain span (b) of the wing .

5. Taper ratio : It is to be selected from literature survey .

Using 𝜆 , we can calculate Ct , Cr, MAC .
AILERON DESIGN: Layout Design Requirements

PROCEDURE
Select roll control surface Configuration

Specify the maneuverability and roll control requirements

If flaps are not If flaps are
designed designed
Identify the aircraft class and critical flight phase for roll control

Identify the outboard

Specify/ Select the outboard position of the flap then
and inboard position of consider the inboard
aileron as wing span position of the aileron to
next to the outboard

Specify the ratio between aileron chord and wing chord (Ca/C)

Select maximum aileron deflection (δAmax)

Calculate the rolling moment(LA), roll time(t), Steady state roll rate(Pss) and bank angle (Φ)

Requirements met Requirements not met

Compare roll time(t) and required roll time(treq)

Optimize the Difference

design optimization

Calculate the span, chord and are add create the final design
 WEIGHT ESTIMATION

WTO = WAvion +WSub +WOther + WStruc + WPL + WEnergy

WAvion + WOther + WPL

WTO =
1 − MFStruc + MFSub + MFProp + MFEnergy

E. g. V
MFBattery =
𝐶𝐿
ESpec . ς η. ηBatt . fusable . ൗC
D

−0.14
Wwing = 0.0038. NZ . WTO 1.06
. AR0.38 . Sw 0.25 . 1 + λ 0.21
. tൗcroot 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑡
kg

WF
= 0.0125(WTO )0.18
WTO
WLG = FLG . WTO lb
 HLD DESIGN : FLAPS

1. In designing the HLD for a wing, the following parameters must be determined :
i. HLD location along the span.
ii. The type of HLD.
iii. HLD chord (Cf).
iv. HLD span (bf).
v. HLD maximum deflection (down) (δfmax).
2. The best location for a HLD is the inboard portion of both the left and right wing sections.
3. When a HLD is applied symmetrically on the left and right wing sections, it will prevent any rolling moment;
hence the aircraft will remain laterally trimmed.
 S. No. Tasks Duration
TIMELINE
1. Literature Survey 2 days
a. Analysis of existing electric aircraft’s designs
i. Weight class, Wing loading if known
ii. Aerofoil Used, L/D ratio
iii. Max range achieved, endurance
iv. Max velocities during cruise and take-off
b. Understanding pros and cons of these designs
i. Stall angles, design limitations
ii. Weight ratios(After calculation)

2. Mission requirements: Initial Configuration selection & Estimation of 3 days

Critical Parameters
i. Aerofoil selection(CLɑ , CDɑ & CMɑ )
ii. Planform shape (Span, wing area)
iii. CLmax , CLdesign
iv. wing loading, thrust loading, power loading
v. Span, MAC, L/D ratio
vi. Ctip & Croot,Taper, twist,dihedral,sweep
3. Weight Estimation : Rough 2 days
4. Control Devices 2 days
i. Aileron position
ii. Required hinge moment
iii. Aileron effectiveness
iv. Geometry(chord, span)
 S. No. Tasks Duration

TIMELINE 5. HLD devices 1 day

i. Flap geometry selection
ii. Flap position,chord,span

6. Tail Design 1 day

i. Tail airfoil
ii. Tail Volume ratio
iii. Tail geometry

7. Final Wt. Estimation & C.G. Estimation 1 day

8. Finalizing the configuration 2 days
(2 configurations to be selected)
3D CAD modelling with preliminary structural design.

9. Performance and static stability analysis. 2 days

Developing Equations of motion for systems simulation

10. System simulation & wind tunnel testing 2 days