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.

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This book introduces a stability and control methodology named AeroMech, capable of sizing the primary control effectors of fixed wing subsonic to hypersonic designs of conventional and unconventional configuration layout. Control power demands are harmonized with static-, dynamic-, and maneuver stability requirements, while taking the six-degree-of-freedom trim state into account. The stability and control analysis solves the static- and dynamic equations of motion combined with non-linear vortex lattice aerodynamics for analysis. The true complexity of addressing subsonic to hypersonic vehicle stability and control during the conceptual design phase is hidden in the objective to develop a generic (vehicle configuration independent) methodology concept. The inclusion of geometrically asymmetric aircraft layouts, in addition to the reasonably well-known symmetric aircraft types, contributes significantly to the overall technical complexity and level of abstraction. The first three chapters describe the preparatory work invested along with the research strategy devised, thereby placing strong emphasis on systematic and thorough knowledge utilization. The engineering-scientific method itself is derived throughout the second half of the book. This book offers a unique aerospace vehicle configuration independent (generic) methodology and mathematical algorithm. The approach satisfies the initial technical quest: How to develop a ‘configuration stability & control’ methodology module for an advanced multi-disciplinary aerospace vehicle design synthesis environment that permits consistent aerospace vehicle design evaluations?