What are the key considerations when designing an aircraft?

The main aspects of aircraft design are: Aerodynamics….Propulsion

• Maximum engine thrust available.
• Fuel consumption.
• Engine mass.
• Engine geometry.

Which aerodynamic considerations are required to design a supersonic public transport aircraft?

The aerodynamic design of a supersonic aircraft needs to change with its speed for optimal performance. Thus, an SST would ideally change shape during flight to maintain optimal performance at both subsonic and supersonic speeds.

What are the main characteristics of supersonic aircraft?

Vehicles that fly at supersonic speeds are flying faster than the speed of sound. The speed of sound is about 768 miles per hour (1,236 kilometers per hour) at sea level. These speeds are referred to by Mach numbers. The Mach number is the ratio of the speed of the aircraft to the speed of sound.

What was the main challenge faced in supersonic flight?

The key technical challenges for a supersonic strike aircraft are as follows: development of a stealthy configuration with a high lift-to-drag ratio (L/D) and acceptable take-off and landing characteristics; efficient and durable engines; propulsion-airframe integration; advanced airframe materials and structures; …

What is aircraft detail design?

Detail Design It specifically determines the design, location and quantity of elements such as rubs, spars, sections and more. Furthermore, all aerodynamic, structural, control and performance aspects are achieved and tested in full in the previous preliminary design stage.

What is the speed of supersonic aircraft?

For aircraft speeds which are greater than the speed of sound, the aircraft is said to be supersonic. Typical speeds for supersonic aircraft are greater than 750 mph but less than 1500 mph, and the Mach number M is greater than one, 1 < M < 3.

What is supersonic travel?

supersonic flight, passage through the air at speed greater than the local velocity of sound. The speed of sound (Mach 1) varies with atmospheric pressure and temperature: in air at a temperature of 15 °C (59 °F) and sea-level pressure, sound travels at about 1,225 km (760 miles) per hour.

What are supersonic planes used for?

Supersonic transports A supersonic transport (SST) is a civil aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound.

What are supersonic aircraft made of?

SR-71 supersonic aircraft contain large amounts of titanium in the airframe. The use of titanium in commercial aircraft has increased over recent decades, albeit slowly owing to the high cost of titanium metal and the high costs of manufacturing and machining titanium components.

What makes the supersonic flight brings with its substantial technical challenges?

Supersonic flight brings with it substantial technical challenges, as the aerodynamics of supersonic flight are dramatically different from those of subsonic flight (i.e., flight at speeds slower than that of sound).

How are objects designed to travel at supersonic speed?

When the object reaches the speed of sound, air cannot readily move out of the way and a shock wave is formed. When the object is moving faster than sound, the resulting sounds travel behind the object, creating a sonic boom.

Why is thermal efficiency so important for supersonic aircraft design?

As with all aspects of supersonic aircraft design, the propulsion system is heavily constrained by numerous requirements. High thermal efficiency is, of course, of high importance to improve the payload fraction and will also contribute to a reduction in carbon footprint.

Can high aspect ratio sweptback wings fly supersonic?

•Aircraft with high aspect ratio sweptback wings cannot fly supersonic, except under special circumstances (e.g. powered dives). •Such wings have high aspect ratios and are thicker in order to accommodate a thick main spar. Shock waves •All wings must lie inside the conical shock wave generated by the fuselage nose of an aircraft flying

What are the requirements for a supersonic aircraft?

A National Materials Advisory Board publication [49] summarizes the requirements for supersonic aircraft quite well based on prior studies, many related to the Concorde, which are also cited in this reference. At Mach 2.0, the skin temperature remains well below 100 °C but rises to 120 °C at Mach 2.2 and further to 150 °C at Mach 2.4.

What materials are used in the skins of supersonic planes?

The skins of these aircraft require heat-resistant materials that do not soften owing to frictional heating effects at supersonic speeds. Conventional aluminium alloys soften when the aircraft speed exceeds about Mach 1.5 whereas titanium remains unaffected until Mach 4–5.