Air vehicle sizing requires the ability to estimate the propulsive power and energy requirements of a flight vehicle as well as its weight. Existing tools and methods for aircraft sizing typically focus on a specific air vehicle category, generally assume a conventional fuel-burning propulsion system architecture, and employ a point-mass performance model. These shortcomings limit or preclude their applicability to novel concepts that differ from conventional fixed- or rotary-wing aircraft in configuration, employ all-electric or hybrid-electric propulsion systems, transition between different modes of flight, use propulsors in the dual role of control effectors, and/or offset weight in flight with a time-varying combination of aerodynamic lift, buoyant lift, and thrust. This paper demonstrates a methodology whereby flight performance, mission analysis, and energy sizing concepts are generalized and combined with explicit consideration of vehicle trim and geometry parameterization within a vehicle sizing and performance analysis framework intended for novel vehicle configurations and propulsion system architectures. The general applicability of the proposed methodology and developed framework is demonstrated through sizing and performance analyses of three dissimilar vehicle concepts: 1) a conventional twin-engine general aviation aircraft, 2) an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing lift-plus-cruise configuration, and 3) a hybrid lift airship.
Generalized Energy-Based Flight Vehicle Sizing and Performance Analysis Methodology
Journal of Aircraft ; 58 , 4 ; 762-780
2020-12-24
19 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch