The teaching in the field of general and conceptual aircraft design deals with the description of the basic procedures of classic aircraft design (handbook methods) and its critical reflection as well as the necessity of the used methods. In the context of the ‘Aircraft Design Seminar’, the students are regularly given the opportunity to perform an entire aircraft design process by doing group work. The relating scenarios and boundary values are defined in collaboration with the ‘Future Project Office’ of Airbus Industries.
The field of research mainly focuses on the improvement of the statistical preliminary draft tools introduced above and for the development of new design approaches. The emphasis is on analytic methods.
Current Projects
DOXWING
Conceptual aircraft design and aerodynamic and aeroacoustic analysis of boxwing configurations in combination with distributed electric propulsion in over-the-wing configuration
Project description
The DOXWING Project addresses the need to advance sustainable aviation by integrating three key technologies: box wing design, distributed electric propulsion, and hydrogen fuel cells. The project aims to improve aircraft performance, reduce emissions, and promote energy efficiency, all in line with the goals of the Fly the Green Deal initiative. In more detail, DOXWING focuses on the development and optimization of these technologies to create a new, highly efficient aircraft configuration. By doing so, it contributes to the global push toward carbon-neutral aviation. Additionally, the project will explore design methodologies and integration strategies at the system and aircraft levels, ensuring seamless technological compatibility and scalability.
Contribution of the IFB
The Institute of Aircraft Design leads the DOXWING Project and contributes its expertise in aircraft design and sustainable aviation technologies. The institute plays a critical role in integrating and evaluating the new technologies at the aircraft level, ensuring that the project’s goals align with the latest advancements in energy-efficient aviation.
Project partners
- Bauhaus Luftfahrt
- TU Berlin
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Aerodynamics und Gas Dynamics
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Aircraft Design
Funding
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (German aviation research program LuFo VI-2)
Duration
July 2024 – June 2027
Contact
WhisperProp
Development of a fast prediction method to minimize noise emissions of innovative aircraft design concepts
Project Description
The WhisperProp project consists of several sub-projects, which are carried out under the responsibility of the respective project partners. The overarching goal of the overall project is to integrate noise predictions into the preliminary aircraft design at an early stage. This requires a large number of data points, which are to be generated using high-fidelity approaches as well as hybrid methods. As part of a sub-project, this hybrid method is to be developed, which should have significantly shorter computing times and thus increase the number of available data points. A second sub-project is the interface between methodology and aircraft design. The focus here is on setting up the simulation process, validating the simulations and creating the database. Finally, a preliminary design methodology will be derived from this database using data-based methods in the third sub-project. Finally, the project results are validated with the help of flight tests.
Controbution of IFB
The IFB is primarily contributing its expertise from the field of analytical aircraft design, but also from manned flight, to the project. This includes, for example, defining the parameter variations to be investigated, creating the preliminary design methodology and carrying out the flight tests. In addition to operating the institute's own e-Genius aircraft, this also includes processing and evaluating the flight campaign results. Finally, the methodology will be evaluated and better configurations identified with the help of trade-off studies.
Project Partners
- CFD Consultants GmbH
- Offenburg University of Applied Sciences
- yasAI UG
Funding
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK)
Duration
March 2024 – August 2026
Contact
UniSELECT
Selective-integrated investigation of radically unconventional aircraft configurations and technologies in terms of their potential to increase efficiency, taking into account regulatory and operational restrictions
Content of the project
UniSELECT is a follow-up and parallel project to UNICADO and UNICADO-II.
The aim of UniSELECT is to systematically investigate which efficiency increases are possible with new technology options and radical unconventionel aircraft configurations are possible by 2050. In addition regulatory and operational constraints will be investigated that prevent the full utilization of the potential of these new technologies and configurations, both currently and projected for the future. The reduction of the savings potential due to regulatory restrictions is to be quantified in the project, in order to provide the authorities with a new perspective. At the same time the extent to which specific relaxation of certification requirements or operational constraints can serve the overarching goal of reducing climate impact.
Contribution of the IFB
Identification of regulatory boundary conditions that have a direct and indirect impact on aircraft design with new technologies and disruptive configurations at the preliminary design level.
Development of design methods, technology and system models for the design space developed from the requirements design space for a maximally efficient long-haul aircraft.
Conducting a comprehensive technology and configuration screening with regard to radically unconventional aircraft configurations with experts from the industry and the literature.
Derivation of a possible design space from the screening for a radically unconventional long-haul aircraft configuration with minimal climate impact.
Specification of a transparent evaluation and decision-making process for the configuration of a radically disruptive long-haul aircraft, as well as the development of an algorithm for the repetitive execution of the same configurative decision processes.
Iterative designs of various radically unconventional long-haul aircraft based on the configurations and technology configurations and technology combinations determined by the decision processes. Students are also involved via design competitions to increase the number of designs and creativity.
Conducting sensitivity studies with UNICADO to assess the potential of the aircraft designs in terms of the potential of emissions and life cycle costs.
Project partners
- RWTH Aachen
- TU Munich
- TU Berlin
- TU Braunschweig
- TU Hamburg
Funding
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (German aviation research program LuFo VI-2)
Duration
January 2024-December 2026
Contacts
SynTrac
Synergies of Highly Integrated Transport Aircraft
Project description
To enable climate-neutral aviation in the future, the energy consumption of aircrafts must be significantly reduced. The continuous further development of aircraft and propulsion technologies and the increased integration of these promise considerable energy savings.
The Collaborative Research Centre SynTrac concentrates on highly integrated commercial aircrafts and focuses on principles such as boundary layer ingestion and distributed propulsion. SynTrac explores cross-disciplinary synergies and investigates optimal integration methods and models for comprehensive, configuration-independent research to enable energy savings, aerodynamic improvements and acoustic requirements.
Project partners
- University of Stuttgart
- Technische Universität Braunschweig
- German Aerospace Center (DLR)
- Leibniz University Hanover
Funding
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG Programm CRC/Transregios
Duration
2023 – 2026
Contact
Impact Monitor
Assessing European aviation research and innovation impact