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As the world moves towards environmental sustainability, the civil aviation enterprise has responded by setting challenging goals for significantly increased energy efficiency and reduced harmful emissions into the atmosphere as codified by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Advisory Council for Aircraft Innovation and Research in Europe (ACARE). The airline industry supports these goals because of their positive impact on operational cost and the environment. Achieving such goals requires introduction of novel technologies and aircraft concepts. Previous studies have shown that electrified aircraft can be effective in meeting these challenges.While there are several mechanisms to incorporate novel technologies for electrified aircraft, two such technologies: turbo-electric propulsion and distributed propulsion, are used in this research. Integration of these two technologies with the airframe leverages the well-known favorable interference between the wing and the tractor propeller wake to provide increased lift during takeoff.In the present research, the advantages and disadvantages of integrating a turbo-electric distributed propulsion (TEDiP) system are assessed for a regional transport aircraft (RTA). With near term motor technology, an improvement in trip fuel burn was observed on the four and six propeller variants of the TEDiP aircraft. The takeoff field length(TOFL) also improved in all three design variants which is a direct result of the working of distributed propulsion leading to better aerodynamic performance at takeoff conditions.The approach and findings for this research are reported in this thesis. / Master of Science / While air transportation system is considered the fastest means to travel, the avi-ation industry is responsible for 2.1% of all human-induced CO2 emissions, whichputs a renewed emphasis on environmental sustainability. There is heightenedinterest in exploring alternative propulsion technologies for aviation to mitigatethe effects of ever increasing demand for air travel coupled with fossil fuel pricevolatility.Ambitious plans have been outlined by leading aerospace organizations to reduceharmful emissions into the atmosphere. Achieving these ambitious goals requiresdevelopment and introduction of game changing technologies and aircraft con-cepts. Few such concepts include novel propulsion systems like all electric andhybrid-electric propulsion, distributed propulsion, and boundary layer ingestion.The X-57 is a novel all-electric aircraft being developed by NASA as a technologydemonstrator and makes use of multiple electric motors and propellers placedon the wing.Owing to battery technology limitations, all-electric and hybrid-electric propul-sion are not considered as viable options. In the near term, incorporatingdistributed propulsion alongside turbo-electric propulsion, for a Turbo-ElectricDistributed Propulsion(TEDiP) system may be a promising option in the near--to-mid-term. The overall goal of the present study is to investigate potentialbenefits and penalties of TEDiP systems for regional transport aircraft (RTA).To perform this study, the aerodynamics module of Pacelab Aircraft PreliminaryDesign (APD) Multi-Disciplinary Optimization (MDAO) framework is alteredto account for changes in wing-propeller aerodynamics due to the interactionof wing and multiple propellers. This required selection of a cost-effective toolthat captures aerodynamic data for multiple propellers and wing. VSPAEROis the aerodynamic tool of choice for this research. Aerodynamic data fromVSPAERO is coupled to APD and three TEDiP design variants with four, sixand eight propeller are designed with the ATR 72-500 as the baseline. Thebenefits and penalties of integrating the TEDiP system onto these variants isinvestigatedThe results show that a performance comparable to the baseline can be achievedin the near term with the four propeller variant even with current electricalsystems technology trends with a small weight penalty, and in the medium termon a six propeller variant. A decrease in trip fuel burn and improved takeofffield length(TOFL) performance justifies the usage of TEDiP systems.

This study utilizes Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) techniques to explore the effectiveness of the truss-braced (TBW) and strut-braced (SBW) wing configurations in enhancing the performance of medium range, transonic transport aircraft. The truss and strut-braced wing concepts synergize structures and aerodynamics to create a planform with decreased weight and drag. Past studies at Virginia Tech have found that these configurations can achieve significant performance benefits when compared to a cantilever aircraft with a long range, Boeing 777-200ER-like mission. The objective of this study is to explore these benefits when applied to a medium range Boeing 737-800NG-like aircraft with a cruise Mach number of 0.78, a 3,115 nautical mile range, and 162 passengers. Results demonstrate the significant performance benefits of the SBW and TBW configurations. Both configurations exhibit reduced weight and fuel consumption. Configurations are also optimized for 1990's or advanced technology aerodynamics. For the 1990's technology minimum TOGW cases, the SBW and TBW configurations achieve reductions in the TOGW of as much as 6% with 20% less fuel weight than the comparable cantilever configurations. The 1990's technology minimum fuel cases offer fuel weight reductions of about 13% compared to the 1990's technology minimum TOGW configurations and 11% when compared to the 1990's minimum fuel optimized cantilever configurations. The advanced aerodynamics technology minimum TOGW configurations feature an additional 4% weight savings over the comparable 1990's technology results while the advanced technology minimum fuel cases show fuel savings of 12% over the 1990's minimum fuel results. This translates to a 15% reduction in TOGW for the advanced technology minimum TOGW cases and a 47% reduction in fuel consumption for the advanced technology minimum fuel cases when compared to the simulated Boeing 737-800NG. It is found that the TBW configurations do not offer significant performance benefits over the comparable SBW designs. / Master of Science

Ce travail est développé dans le contexte des projets SESAR et Next-Gen, où de nouvelles applications de la gestion du trafic aérien (ATM) comme le concept de gestion d'opérations en 4D, se sont focalisées sur les opérations basées sur la trajectoire (TBO - Trajectory Based Operations). Ces opérations sont en relation avec l'extension de la flexibilité de la séparation entre avions, et par conséquence, avec l'augmentation de la capacité du trafic aérien. En sachant qu'une évolution des routes fixes et autorisations émises par le contrôle du trafic aérien (ATC - Air Traffic Control) vers des trajectoires flexibles est imminente, en s'appuyant en même temps aux niveaux les plus élevés de l'automatique embarquée, ce travail de recherche s'intéresse aux sujets qui aideront à la transition des systèmes actuels vers les systèmes compatibles avec les nouveaux besoins des TBO. Les principaux axes de recherche de ce manuscrit s'articulent en trois points: La génération de trajectoires en 4D, le guidage en 4D, et l'estimation de la masse d'un avion pour l'optimisation des trajectoires. Concernant la génération des trajectoires, le besoin des utilisateurs d'espaces aériens de planifier leurs routes préférées à partir d'un point d'entrée dans l'espace aérien sans être limités par les configurations existantes est considéré. Une solution particulière pour la génération de trajectoires lisses en 4D à partir de points de contrôle prédéfinis est alors explorée. La méthode proposée s'appuie sur les courbes de Bézier, et elle permet de contrôler la distance euclidienne entre le point de contrôle donné et la trajectoire proposée. Ceci est fait en modifiant la trajectoire de telle façon qu'elle reste à l'intérieur des limites des facteurs de charge, en considérant un compromis entre la courbure de la trajectoire et la vitesse voulue de l'avion, ce qui représente une étape importante dans le chemin vers les TBO. Le guidage précis en 4D améliorera la sûreté en diminuant l'occurrence de quasi-collisions aériennes pour des trajectoires en 4D planifiées en avance. En conséquence, deux autopilotes et deux méthodes de guidage sont développées avec l'objectif de réduire la charge de travail des contrôleurs du trafic aérien associée à un vol. Les techniques de backstepping et feedback linearization sont utilisées pour le pilotage, alors que l'inversion non linéaire directe et indirecte sont adoptées pour le guidage. De plus, l'impact de la connaissance inexacte de la masse de l'avion dans le suivi de trajectoires, ses conséquences dans l'optimisation, la consommation de carburant, et la performance de l'avion, a conduit à l'implémentation d'une estimation embarquée de la masse de l'avion. L'approche créée est basée sur les moindres carrées, en fournissant des estimations de la masse initiale et la masse courante, toutes les deux avec une précision suffisante pour atteindre les objectifs liées aux TBO. Les méthodes proposées dans cette thèse sont examinées en utilisant un modèle à six degrés de liberté, dont les paramètres approchent un appareil du type B737-200 ou A320-200. La simulation est basée sur une modélisation complète et non linéaire de la dynamique des avions de transport incluant des perturbations liées au vent. Des réseaux de neurones sont utilisés pour obtenir les différents coefficients aérodynamiques correspondant aux forces et moments de l'avion. / This work is developed with the perspective of SESAR and Next-Gen projects, where new applications of Air Traffic Management (ATM) such as the Full 4D Management concept, are centered on Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO), deeply related with the extension of the flexibility in separation between aircraft, and hence, with the augmentation of air traffic capacity. Therefore, since a shift from fixed routes and Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearances to flexible trajectories is imminent, while relying on higher levels of onboard automation, the thesis hinges around topics that should enable or ease the transition from current systems to systems compliant with the new expectancies of Trajectory-Based Operations. The main axes of the manuscript can be summarized in three topics: 4D trajectory generation, 4D guidance, and mass estimation for trajectory optimization. Regarding the trajectory generation, the need of airspace users to plan their preferred route from an entry to an exit point of the airspace without being constrained by the existent configurations is considered. Thus, a particular solution for 4D smooth path generation from preexisting control points is explored. The method is based on Bezier curves, and is able to control the Euclidian distance between the given control points and the proposed trajectory. This is done by reshaping the path to remain within load factor limits, taking into account a tradeoff between path curvature and aircraft intended speed, representing a milestone in the road towards Trajectory-Based Operations. It is considered that accurate 4D guidance will improve safety by decreasing the occurrence of near mid-air collisions for planned conflict free 4D trajectories. In consequence, two autopilots and two guidance approaches are developed with the objective of diminishing the workload for air traffic controllers associated to a single flight. The backstepping and feedback linearization techniques are used for attitude control, while direct and indirect nonlinear inversion are adopted for guidance. Furthermore, the impact of inaccurate mass knowledge in trajectory guidance, with consequences in optimization, fuel consumption, and aircraft performance, has led to the implementation of an on-board aircraft mass estimation. The created approach is based on least squares, providing an initial mass estimation, and online computations of the current mass, both with enough accuracy to meet the objectives related to TBO. The methods proposed in this thesis are tested in a six degrees of freedom Matlab model with its parameters chosen similar to an aircraft type B737-200 or A320-200. The simulation is based on a full nonlinear modelling of transport aircraft dynamics under wind disturbances. Trained neural networks are used to obtain the aerodynamic coefficients corresponding the aircraft forces and moments.

Thesis (M.S.)--Air Force Institute of Technology, 2003. / Title from title screen (viewed Oct. 28, 2003). "March 2003." Vita. "AFIT/GOR/ENS/03-04." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-70). Also issued in paper format.

A framework is proposed that combines separately developed multidisciplinary optimization, multi-objective optimization, and joint probability assessment methods together but in a decoupled way, to solve joint probabilistic constraint, multi-objective, multidisciplinary optimization problems that are representative of realistic conceptual design problems of design alternative generation and selection. The intent here is to find the Weak Pareto Frontier (WPF) solutions that include additional compromised solutions besides the ones identified by a conventional Pareto frontier. This framework starts with constructing fast and accurate surrogate models of different disciplinary analyses. A new hybrid method is formed that consists of the second order Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and the Support Vector Regression (SVR) method. The three parameters needed by SVR to be pre-specified are automatically selected using a modified information criterion based on model fitting error, predicting error, and model complexity information. The model predicting error is estimated inexpensively with a new method called Random Cross Validation. This modified information criterion is also used to select the best surrogate model for a given problem out of the RSM, SVR, and the hybrid methods. A new neighborhood search method based on Monte Carlo simulation is proposed to find valid designs that satisfy the deterministic constraints and are consistent for the coupling variables featured in a multidisciplinary design problem, and at the same time decouple the three loops required by the multidisciplinary, multi-objective, and probabilistic features. Two schemes have been developed. One scheme finds the WPF by finding a large enough number of valid design solutions such that some WPF solutions are included in those valid solutions. Another scheme finds the WPF by directly finding the WPF of each consistent design zone. Then the probabilities of the PCs are estimated, and the WPF and corresponding design solutions are found. Various examples demonstrate the feasibility of this framework.

Sverige har idag några av Europas äldsta militära transportflygplan av typen TP 84 Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules. Försvarsmakten har beslutat om att modifiera flygplanen så att de kan fortsätta att flyga fram till 2030 men på sikt måste ett nytt system köpas in. Uppsatsen avhandlar det beprövade flygplanet Lockheed Martin C-130J mot det nya Embraer KC-390. Analysen avhandlar en komparativ jämförelse mellan två olika transportflygplan samt systemens införande i Försvarsmakten. Fallet är en del av en jämförelse mellan flygplanen med turboprop-och turbofläktmotorer. Jämförelsen kommer att kopplas mot Andersson et al:s teori om militär nytta. Slutsatserna från analysen är att vid ett införande av C-130J kommer ett driftsäkert system med lång erfarenhet av att operera i konfliktzoner med provisoriska landningsbanor tillföras Försvarsmakten. Flygplanets prestanda och begränsningar är redan kända. Vid införandet av KC- 390 är uppgifterna om prestanda och begränsningar en osäkerhet då systemet ännu inte är i tjänst. Osäkerheter som förmågan att operera från provisoriska flygfält måste tas i beaktande. Dock är flygplanet bättre avseende räckvidd, lastkapacitet samt hastighet, detta på grund av flygplanets turbofläktmotorer. / This thesis considers the problem of Sweden currently having some of Europe's oldest military Hercules transport aircraft of the type TP 84 Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules. The Swedish Armed Forces have decided to modify the aircraft to extend it to 2030, but in the long term a new system must be procured. This thesis deals with the proven aircraft Lockheed Martin C-130J compared to the new Embraer KC-390. The approach uses Andersson et al's theory of military utility to compare two different transport aircraft as well as the system's introduction into the Swedish Armed Forces. The case is part of a comparison of aircraft with turboprop against turbofan engines. The conclusions from the analysis are that the C-130J is an operational system with long experience of operating in conflict zones from provisional runways, and the aircraft's performance and limitations are already known. With the KC-390, performance and limit data are an uncertainty whilst the system is not yet in service; as is its ability to operate from temporary airports. However, this aircraft is better in terms of range, load capacity and speed, due to the aircraft's turbofan engines.