 AERO201

Introduction to Flight and Aerospace Systems

Dr. Susan Liscouët-Hanke

Module 1

1.1 Aerospace Engineering Context

1.2 Flight Vehicle Anatomy & Nomenclature
1.3 Basic Notions & Operating Environment

These lecture slides are for personal use in this course only. They may not be distributed, published or
broadcast, in whole or in part, without the express permission.

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 AERO201

Introduction to Flight and Aerospace Systems

Dr. Susan Liscouët-Hanke

Module 1

1.1 Aerospace Engineering Context

1.2 Flight Vehicle Anatomy & Nomenclature
1.3 Basic Notions & Operating Environment

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Learning objectives

▪ In this section, we discuss: Prepare yourself

a list of
▪ World air travel evolution acronyms
▪ Environmental impact of aviation
▪ Market segmentation & manufacturers
▪ Aerospace system scope & challenges
▪ Your role as future aerospace engineer

Note: this section focuses on aeronautical engineering – we will discuss space

later in the term

As an introduction, we will watch a short extract from the National

Geographic Documentary “Living in the age of airplanes” (Chapter 3)

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The Aerospace System-of-System: a non-exhaustive view of entities

and interactions

National Private Financial

Heliport System
Maintenance and Airport System
Service Systems
Local International

Business/Charter
Commercial SESAR
services Next GEN
Airline
Operational System Air Traffic Control /
Regional Military Management System
Private
Regional Air Traffic NAV
Control (ATC) Canada

Flight Vehicles System

Jets Turboprops Regulatory System
Unmanned
Rockets Helicopters Air Vehicles EASA FAA
Space shuttles TCCA
ICAO
Manufacturing of
vehicles, subsystems,
components, materials

4 [idea of the figure adapted from Claude Lavoie]

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Video on World Air Traffic – 24h time-lapse: https://youtu.be/yx7_yzypm5w

COVID-19 impact on European airspace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1hffhsASaA

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Aviation was a growing industry…

Which challenges arise from increasing air

traffic? (and you need to deal with in the
future)

[From Airbus Global Market Forecast 2016, retrieved online]

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… until the recent pandemic

7 Source: https://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/2021-global-air-passenger-totals-show-improvement.aspx
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Aircraft manufacturers need Market Forecast to plan future aircraft

developments
EXAMPLE: AIRBUS GLOBAL MARKET FORECAST

The market forecast is a document published by aircraft manufacturers to

show the predicted market potential; it provides interesting information about
the business environment.
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How does aviation impact the environment?

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Context - Environmental Impact of Aviation

Noise
Emissions Growth

Land-use
Waste

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Context – How to reduce the environmental impact

Today

Source: ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)

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Environmental impact analysis for aircraft design

❑ Reduce fuel burn -> what is a meaningful metric to compare aircraft?

❑ Reduce noise
❑ Life-cycle Analysis

Literature and Examples:

▪ ICAO Environmental Report 2019
▪ Bombardier –Environmental Product Declaration

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How significant is the Aviation’s contribution to

emissions ?

Source: ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)

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Aviation and the environment

Carbon neutral growth by 2020?

Source: ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)

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Check out the latest status

about the environmental
impact of aviation

https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/Pages/envrep2019.aspx

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Understanding the Aerospace Industry

The aviation industry has many sectors: Share of GDP by Canadian aerospace
▪ Commercial aviation industry segment, 2018
▪ Private/Business aviation
▪ Defense
▪ Space
Aircraft Manufacturers:
▪ Also called: OEM (Original Equipment
Manufacturer)
▪ Private or government owned/supported
companies
▪ Large international companies
▪ more recently: smaller start-up companies
But there are many more involved: engine
and aircraft systems or part
manufacturers, airports, air traffic
management, Maintenance, repair &
overhaul (MRO),… [source: Industry Canada, “The state of the Canadian Aerospace
Industry 2019”, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/a-
ad.nsf/eng/h_ad03964.html#p2]

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Aircraft Market & Manufacturers – Commercial aircraft

60-200 seat market The industry changes constantly – which
aircraft programs have changed “owner” ?

[Bombardier Commercial Aircraft Market Forecast 2015-34]

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Aircraft Market & Manufacturers – Business Aviation

Business aviation is very competitive, but very profitable

[Bombardier Business Aircraft Market Forecast 2014-33]

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Aircraft Programs – International Scale

[Airbus - Infographics]
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Understanding Aerospace Systems…

Function: “transport airborne payload”

- What payload: passengers, cargo, both
- From where to where?
Point B
- How safe?
Point A
- Runway length?
- Landing weight?
- How much fuel burned in flight?
- Airline operation?

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(some) Aerospace Engineering Challenges

Customer
(Airline/Operator):
Operational Quality, reliability, flexibility,
more functions, low cost
Environment:
Temperatures, vibrations,
cosmic radiation
Authorities:
Evolving certification rules,
safety requirements
Technology:
New technologies integration
Aircraft Manufacturer: (risk), obsolescence
Cost reduction, development time
reduction, economic constraints, Society:
talent, competition Environmental impact (noise,
emissions, hazardous
Physical Integration: substances), affordability,
Aircraft design choices, weight accessibility
& efficiency, economic
constraints

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… but, be aware

[Dream Airplanes – from C.W.Miller]

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Summary

▪ The aerospace system is a complex system and needs to cope with

increasing traffic
▪ The aircraft operating in this complex system is a complex system itself –
the requirements on the aircraft need to be understood in it’s context - we
call this a « system-of-systems »
▪ Aerospace engineering requires an understanding of the global context

In this section, you learned about some important sources of information to

better understand the industry and its context.

Suggestion: read regularly news about the aerospace industry (i.e. Flight
International Magazine)
-> This will be useful for your first internship job interview and beyond. Your
life long learning journey starts now.

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 AERO201

Introduction to Flight and Aerospace Systems

Dr. Susan Liscouët-Hanke

Module 1

1.1 Aerospace Engineering Context

1.2 Flight Vehicle Anatomy & Nomenclature
1.3 Operating Environment and basic physics

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Anatomy of aerospace systems

rocket

satellite

astronautics Space station

Spacecraft

Airship, Fighter/military
Business/corpor Large jet
zeppelin, blimp
ate/private jet commercial
jet/aircraft

aeronautics (regional) turbo-

prop

Helicopter
Light,
recreational, Hot air balloon
Unmanned air
vehicle (UAV), general aviation
drone, multi- aircraft
copter
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Anatomy of aerospace systems - Civil aviation

categories

General Aviation Business/Private Aviation

Usually < 9 passengers, single engine Variable aircraft size (most commonly
between 9-19 passenger, 2 engines)

Regional commercial aviation Large commercial aviation

< 100 passengers, min. 2 engines > 100 passengers, min. 2 engines
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Aircraft configurations

Placement of Engines

Placement of Wing

Configuration of the Tail

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Anatomy of aircraft (1) Vertical tail or

vertical stabilizer rudder

elevator
fuselage

Horizontal tail
(or stabilizer)

Flap (inward and

trailing edge)

Propeller (and
Aileron
behind is the
(outboard and
engine)
trailing edge)

Nose landing
gear
wing
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Anatomy of helicopter
Rotor
Swash Plate

Tail Rotor
Engine
Boeing CH-47 Chinook

Tail Boom

[Spc. Glenn M. Anderson | Credit: U.S. Army]

Landing Skids

[picture from www.redbackaviation.com, Author unknown]

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Anatomy of a rocket

Figure from NASA - https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/rocket/rockpart.html]

Note: we will talk more about space vehicles in week 12.

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Aircraft zones & major components

example: Dassault Falcon 7X
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Aircraft Zones
example: Dassault Falcon 7X
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Anatomy of aircraft - 3 view drawing

example: Airbus A320

Aircraft 3-view
▪ Top, side, front view
showing basic dimensions
▪ Defines the “aircraft
configuration”: the aircraft
outside shape
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Anatomy of aircraft - cutaway drawing

example: B-17

“Cut-away” drawings reveal some

internal elements of aircraft:
structure, systems

[online – Flight International cut-aways]

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Naming and classification of aircraft components

▪ The so-called ATA-chapters are a standard numbering system for

aircraft components, used across the industry
▪ Used in maintenance manuals, flight manual, to define the scope of aircraft
component suppliers, to analyze weight data, cost data,…
▪ ATA stands for Air Transport Association
▪ ATA chapters – outline: It is good
practice to
▪ ATA 0x, 1x: Aircraft General know some of
▪ ATA 2x, 3x, 4x: Airframe Systems the most often
▪ ATA 5x: Structures used ATA
chapters
▪ ATA 6x: Propeller, Rotor
▪ ATA 7x, 8x: Power Plant
▪ ATA chapters have six (6) digits: ATA xx-yy-zz

System
Subsystem Component
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For reference: ATA chapters: 0-19

00 Introduction / Aircraft General

01-04 Operations Information
05 Periodic Inspections
06 Dimensions and Areas
07 Lifting & Shoring
08 Leveling & Weighing
09 Towing & Taxiing
10 Parking, Mooring, Storage & Return To Service
11 Placards & Markings
12 Servicing Routine Maintenance
13-17 Unassigned
18 Vibration & Noise Analysis (Helicopter Only)
19 Unassigned
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For reference: ATA chapters 20 - 49

20 Standard Practices-Airframe 34 Navigation

21 Air Conditioning 35 Oxygen
22 Auto Flight 36 Pneumatic
23 Communications 37 Vacuum
24 Electrical Power 38 Water / Waste
25 Equipment / Furnishings 39 Electrical Electronic Panels &
26 Fire Protection Multipurpose Compts
27 Flight Controls 41 Water Ballast
28 Fuel 42 Integrated Modular Avionics
29 Hydraulic Power 44 Cabin Systems
30 Ice & Rain Protection 45 Central Maintenance System
31 Indicating / Recording Systems (CMS)
32 Landing Gear 46 Information Systems
33 Lights 47 Inert Gas System
49 Airborne Auxiliary Power
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For reference: ATA chapters 50 - 69

50 Cargo and Accessory 60 Standard Practices-Propeller /

Compartments Rotor
51 Standard Practices & Structures 61 Propellers / Propulsion
52 Doors 62 Rotors
53 Fuselage 63 Rotor Drive(s)
54 Nacelles / Pylons 64 Tail Rotor
55 Stabilizers 65 Tail Rotor Drive
56 Windows 66 Folding Blades & Tail Pylon
57 Wings 67 Rotors Flight Control
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For reference: ATA chapters 70 - 99

70 Standard Practices Engine 80 Starting

71 Power Plant General 81 Turbines
72 Engine Turbine/Turboprop, 82 Water Injection
Ducted Fan/Unducted Fan 83 Accessory Gear Boxes
72 (R)Engine - Reciprocating 84 Propulsion Augmentation
73 Engine Fuel & Control 97 Wiring Reporting Compartment
74 Ignition
75 Air
76 Engine Controls
77 Engine Indicating
78 Exhaust
79 Oil
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Summary of Section 1.3

▪ Flying vehicles can be classified according to their use, mission, flying altitude, and
physical configuration
▪ The aircraft configuration is most often described with respect to engine, wing and tail
placement
▪ Some common components can be found on most flying vehicles (e.g., propulsion
system, fuselage, landing gear,)
▪ For aircraft, the ATA chapter and numbering system is used to standardize the many
systems, sub-systems and components
▪ This is how maintenance manuals are organized, and many aircraft and system supplier
companies as well

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 AERO201

Introduction to Flight and Aerospace Systems

Dr. Susan Liscouët-Hanke

Module 1

1.1 Aerospace engineering context

1.2 Flight vehicle anatomy & nomenclature
1.3 Basic notions & operating environment

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Before understanding flight, we need to understand the

operating environment – the atmosphere

Lift

Thrust Drag

The atmosphere consists of :

~78 % nitrogen
Center of gravity (CG) ~ 21% oxygen
~ 0.93% argon
Weight ~ 0.04% carbon dioxide
+ small amounts of other gases
+ variable amount of water vapor

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Properties of the atmosphere

Pressure P is defined as force per Density  (of a substance) is defined

unit area unit as the mass of the substance per unit
volume

Temperature T is a measure of the Velocity V is distance traveled by

average kinetic energy of the particles units of time in a certain direction
in the gas (vector)

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Air Speed

For incompressible flow, the pressure developed by the forward motion

of a body is called dynamic pressure, which is related to the true air
speed (TAS)
The dynamic pressure is defined as:
1
𝑞≡ 𝜌 ∙ 𝑣2
2

𝑞 N/m2 pressure
𝜌 kg/m3 density
𝑣 m/s speed of body relative to air (true air speed)

𝜌
Equivalent air speed: equivalent speed on sea level 𝑣𝑒 = 𝑣
𝜌0

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Mach number – non-dimensional measure of speed

▪ The Mach number is defined as

𝑣
M=𝑎 𝑎= 𝛾𝑅𝑇

𝛾 - isentropic coefficient of
𝑎 m/s speed of sound air at normal
𝑣 m/s true air speed conditions (1.4)

▪ The Mach number is used to identify different aerodynamic flow

regimes:
▪ If M < 1: the flow is subsonic
▪ If M = 1: the flow is sonic
▪ If M > 1: the flow is supersonic

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Units and consistent unit systems Prepare

yourself a
“cheat”-sheet
to convert to
▪ In aerospace engineering practice, various unit systems SI and back
are in use and need to be mastered
English Engineering Système Other
System (also called International (SI) relevant
imperial system) units
pressure lb/ft2 N/m2 psi
density slugs/ft3 kg/m3
temperature °R K °C, °F
specific gas ft · lb /(slug)(°R) J/(kg · K)
constant (R)
length ft m in
force lb N
mass lb Kg

▪ Consistent use of units is very important to avoid errors

▪ Suggestion: transform into SI units for calculation
▪ Most common conversions need to be known

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Example – Mars Climate Orbiter and the importance of consistent

units

“ At 09:00:46 UT Sept. 23, 1999, the orbiter began its Mars orbit insertion burn as
planned. The spacecraft was scheduled to re-establish contact after passing behind
Mars, but, unfortunately, no signals were received from the spacecraft.
An investigation indicated that the failure resulted from a navigational error due
to commands from Earth being sent in English units (in this case, pound-
seconds) without being converted into the metric standard (Newton-seconds).
The error caused the orbiter to miss its intended orbit (87 to 93 miles or 140 to 50
kilometers) and to fall into the Martian atmosphere at approximately 35 miles (57
kilometers) in altitude and to disintegrate due to atmospheric stresses.”
Read the full story, on NASA website

Interesting fact: Project Cost

$327.6 million total for both orbiter and lander
▪ $193.1 million for spacecraft development
▪ $91.7 million for launch
▪ $42.8 million for mission operations
[From: NASA, Mars Climate Orbiter Fact Sheet]

An artist's concept of NASA Mars Climate Orbiter. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

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Equation of state for a perfect gas

𝑝 =𝜌∙𝑅∙𝑇 or 𝑝∙𝑣 =𝑅∙𝑇

𝑝 N/m2 pressure
𝜌 kg/m3 density
𝑅 [J/kg/K] specific gas constant, for air: 287 J/kg/K
𝑇 [K] temperature
𝑣 m3/kg specific volume

▪ A perfect gas is one in which the intermolecular forces are

negligible
▪ The air is considered as a perfect gas for normal
conditions of subsonic and supersonic flight

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Atmosphere model
▪ Oxygen supply required in
aircraft if flying more than 30
min. at pressure altitudes of
12,500 feet or more (these
Mesosphere numbers are based on FAA*; numbers
can change slightly depending on the
(above 50 km) particular certification rules &
countries)
Ozone layer ▪ Many aircraft have a
Stratosphere pressurized cabin
(up to 50 km)

Troposphere
(up to 10 km)
▪ Most commercial
aircraft fly here
▪ Human survivability
up to ~ 6 km

51 *https://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures/media/hypoxia.pdf
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Activity: flying altitude & aircraft design

A B

Aircraft Name: Aircraft Name:

Max. flying altitude [ft]: Max. flying altitude [ft]:
Pressurized cabin? y/n Pressurized cabin? y/n

C D

Aircraft Name: Aircraft Name:

Max. flying altitude [ft]: Max. flying altitude [ft]:
Pressurized cabin? y/n Pressurized cabin? y/n

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Altitude and the hydro-static equation

▪ Absolute altitude: ha
▪ Geometric altitude: hG – altitude above sea level

[credit: Introduction to Flight, Fig 3.2]

▪ Hydrostatic equation defines the change of
pressure as a function of the altitude

𝑑𝑝 = −𝜌 ∙ 𝑔 ∙ 𝑑ℎ𝐺

𝑔 m/s2 local gravitational acceleration (9.81 m/s2 on earth)

ℎ𝐺 m geometrical height

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The ISA allows aerospace

International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) engineers to have a
common reference for air
properties and
▪ The ISA is based on a defined variation performance comparisons
of the temperature with altitude, based
on experimental evidence
▪ The equation of state for ideal gases and
the hydrostatic equation are used to
derive the formulation of temperature,
pressure and density change with
respect to the altitude
▪ The mean sea-level value are using the
index “0”
▪ Troposphere: up to 11km altitude
▪ temperature gradient a = -6.5K/km
▪ starting at 15 C at sea-level
▪ Stratosphere: 11km – 25km altitude,
iso-thermic
[Introduction to Flight, Fig 3.4]

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International Standard Atmosphere (ISA)

Pressure can be obtained from:

−𝑔0 Τ 𝑎∙𝑅
𝑝 𝑇
=
𝑝1 𝑇1
Density can be obtained from:
− 𝑔0 Τ 𝑎∙𝑅 +1
𝜌 𝑇
=
𝜌1 𝑇1

Most aerospace design handbooks

have tables with ISA values.
Make sure you have an ISA table
available (you can make your own,
based on the equations)
-> useful for your studies and
career

[http://www.pilotsweb.com/wx/w_sense.htm#isa]

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International Standard Atmosphere (ISA)

▪ The ISA allows aerospace engineers to have a common reference for air
properties and performance comparisons
▪ Hot Day, Cold Day, Tropical, and Polar temperature profiles with altitude
have been defined for use as performance references (e.g. in United States
Department of Defense MIL-STD-210C, and its successor MIL-HDBK-310)
▪ Pressure, density and temperature altitudes are altitudes in the ISA at which
the pressure, density or temperature in question is found.
[Extract from ISA data table, J.D. Anderson,
Introduction to Flight, Appendix]

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The ISA is the basis for the definition of the aircraft

operation envelope ▪ This is a generic example of a
environmental envelop of an
aircraft.
▪ Each aircraft will have its own,
defined during the conceptual
design

Deviation from ISA

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Example

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