Aircraft Design
Cambridge Aerospace Series

Aircraft Design explores fixed winged aircraft design at the conceptual phase of a project. Designing an aircraft is a complex multifaceted process embracing many technical challenges in a multidisciplinary environment. By definition, the topic requires intelligent use of aerodynamic knowledge to configure aircraft geometry suited specifically to the customer's demands. It involves estimating aircraft weight and drag and computing the available thrust from the engine. The methodology shown here includes formal sizing of the aircraft, engine matching, and substantiating performance to comply with the customer's demands and government regulatory standards. Associated topics include safety issues, environmental issues, material choice, structural layout, understanding flight deck, avionics, and systems (for both civilian and military aircraft). Cost estimation and manufacturing considerations are also discussed. The chapters are arranged to optimize understanding of industrial approaches to aircraft design methodology. Example exercises from the author's industrial experience dealing with a typical aircraft design are included.

1. Introduction; 2. Methodology to aircraft design, market survey and airworthiness; 3. Aerodynamic considerations; 4. Classification, statistics and choices for configuration; 5. Aircraft load; 6. Aircraft configuration; 7. Undercarriage; 8. Aircraft weight and CG estimation; 9. Drag; 10. Aircraft power plant; 11. Aircraft sizing and engine matching; 12. Stability consideration; 13. Aircraft performance; 14. Computational fluid dynamics; 15. Miscellaneous design considerations; 16. Aircraft cost considerations; 17. Aircraft manufacturing considerations.

Dr Ajoy Kumar Kundu was educated in India (Jadavpur University), in the UK (Cranfield University and Queen's University, Belfast), and in the United States (University of Michigan and Stanford University). His experience has spanned nearly thirty years in industry and fifteen in academia. In India, he served as Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, and as the Chief Aircraft Designer at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), Bangalore. In North America, he was a Research Engineer for the Boeing Aircraft Company, Renton, and an Intermediate Engineer for Canadair Ltd., Montreal. He started his aeronautical career in the UK with Short Brothers and Harland Ltd. and retired serving Bombardier Aerospace-Shorts, Belfast. Currently, he is associated with Queen's University, Belfast. Dr Kundu holds British, Indian, and Canadian private pilot's licences. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and Institute of Mechanical Engineers and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.