Aircraft Design‎

In the second edition of Design and Development of Aircraft Systems, Ian Moir and Allan Seabridge provide a straightforward introduction to how aircraft systems are designed and evolved, explaining to the reader the means by which the systems of a complex aircraft emerge from a customer requirement and become reality as individual sub-systems; as an integrated overall system; and as a complete fit-for-purpose aircraft.

Optimal aircraft design is impossible without a parametric representation of the geometry of the airframe. We need a mathematical model equipped with a set of controls, or design variables, which generates different candidate airframe shapes in response to changes in the values of these variables.

Optimal aircraft design is impossible without a parametric representation of the geometry of the airframe. We need a mathematical model equipped with a set of controls, or design variables, which generates different candidate airframe shapes in response to changes in the values of these variables. This model's objectives are to be flexible and concise, and capable of yielding a wide range of shapes with a minimum number of design variables. Moreover, the process of converting these variables into aircraft geometries must be robust. Alas, flexibility, conciseness and robustness can seldom be achieved simultaneously.

Established in 1934, the Ilyushin design bureau is one of the best-known Soviet/Russian aircraft design companies. Over the years the Ilyushin OKB has developed aircraft for widely varying roles. Its first aircraft to achieve production status, the DB-3 bomber, entered service in 1936. The IL-2 (Shturmovik) armoured attack aircraft brought Ilyushin well-earned fame; this aircraft was used with considerable success during World War 2. Ilyushin's involvement with combat aircraft continued with the experimental IL-22 four-jet bomber of 1946 and the extremely successful IL-28 tactical bomber of 1947 - the Soviet counterpart of the English Electric Canberra.

Mastering the Dynamics of Flight