Development of a Knowledge Based Engineering Application to Support Conceptual Fuselage Design

Abstract

Reducing turnaround time and increasing passenger comfort are requirements that should be tackled for medium range flights. Reducing turnaround time could be achieved by increasing the fuselage aisle width and increasing passenger comfort by increasing the space allocated to carry-on luggage. Because research is now looking at novel aircraft designs, it is necessary to study those geometrical modifications on conventional and novel fuselages. Thus, to what extend can the turnaround time be reduced and passenger comfort be enhanced by conventional and novel fuselages? What would be the opportunities offered by a Prandtl Plane configuration on the reduction of turnaround time and enhancement of passenger comfort? A parametric fuselage model is extended and used to answer this question. Reducing turnaround time comes at a cost in terms of fuselage performances whereas increasing passenger comfort reduces fuselage weight and drag. Combining both also leads to a reduction in fuselage weight and drag.