Abstract

The approach proposed in this paper aims at increasing knowledge during the conceptual design phase through the addition of new modules or disciplines. Various investigations identified the Stability Augmentation System as a key subsystem to be taken into account as soon as possible since it opens the design space and allows potential performance gains. In parallel, studies demonstrated the strong impact of certification constraints on the sizing of an aircraft. A new Multi Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization process for conceptual studies is then defined. One of its characteristics is that a certification module corresponding to a digital version of the regulatory texts can exchange with the Multi Disciplinary Analysis during the optimization. With such a layout, designers can optimize a configuration given a set of constraints or, they can trace the necessary modifications to the certification rules for a given architecture. Another key feature of the proposed process is the use of a full simulator (6 degrees of freedom) to fly the various reference missions within the sizing process. With this approach aircraft designers have then a high fidelity mission module that provides an important amount of information. Potential benefits can be foreseen for advanced concepts (especially flying technology demonstrators) relying on energy sources other that kerosene. In addition, the possibility to simulate the real routes of the aircraft during the optimization phase opens many options for close collaborations with Air Traffic Management research. Of course, this amount of information comes at a certain computational cost that is unusual for conceptual design tools. However, there are already ideas on how to reduce computational time.

Abstract

International audience; In the field of Aircraft Design, new transport concepts rely heavily on aero-propulsive effects with the objective of providing step changes in terms of energy consumption. Given the strong dependency of the level of lift with respect to engine settings, there is an added value for the designers to complete full simulations of the operational mission to verify the viability of the selected architecture. Regarding Air Traffic Management, the need for more accurate trajectories as well as solutions to characterize new aircraft in the air space has been identified. Taking the opportunity of these shared requirements, the authors present in this paper the coupling between a conceptual design sizing tool and an ATM simulator. The objective is to pave the way for future optimizations of the global system where aircraft would be designed taking into account real flight routes defined by ATM constraints. To validate the simulation model generated by the sizing code, resulting climb trajectories as well as initial cruise phases are compared with real flight traces recorded with an ADS-B antenna.