Development of a user-friendly interface for conceptual shape design of subsonic airplanes and gliders

Abstract

The conceptual design enables initial estimation of the characteristics of aircraft and gliders, such as shape, drag, power, and range. To avoid using complicated and expensive CFD methods, some low-fidelity approaches and analytical formulae were proposed and applied to develop a user-friendly interface, which provides an interactive mode and allows using arbitrary slender airfoils. The limitations connected with the takeoff/landing conditions are taken into account. The software allows estimating the characteristics of the optimal wing and fuselage with the use of only three basic input characteristics: the mass, the wing aspect ratio (or area), and the altitude of cruise flight. The proposed values of cruise speed, length, and fuselage volume can be adjusted by the user. Adding the values of drag on other parts of the hull and the reserve of energy allows the user to estimate the power of engines and the range. The results of calculations were successfully tested with the use of specifications of existing aircraft and a glider. Optimal characteristics of 6 new aircraft with masses from 2 kg to 200 t were calculated and demonstrated that the use of special-shaped laminar fuselages significantly reduces the drag. Rather high values of range (200–600 km) were obtained even for electric vehicles, which could be increased approximately 15 times with the use of gasoline engines. The obtained results demonstrate that the interface could be an easy and useful tool, allowing the engineers and managers to find quick and effective solutions in the initial stages of design.