AIAA Aircraft Systems and Technology Meeting, Dallas, Texas
Authors: Garret N. VanderplaatsPublication Date: September 27-29, 1976
Abstract:
Techniques for automating conceptual aircraft design are presented. Numerical optimization methods are employed to size the aircraft to fly a prescribed mission using a variety of design objectives, design variables, and constraints. Fully automated design is compared with traditional point design methods and time and resource requirements for automated design synthesis are given. Design examples using the NASA Ames aircraft synthesis program, ACSYNT, include optimization of a vehicle for minimum gross weight and sensitivity of the optimum vehicle to improvements in materials technology.