AIRPLANE PRELIMINARY DESIGN

PROCEDURE-SUPERSONIC
FIGHTER AIRCRAFT

Subhas .M
Sarangu.S
Aparna Seshadri
ABSTRACT
• The aim of this report ,is the application of what we have learnt in
Aerodynamic Design of Aircraft .A supersonic fighter aircraft is to be
designed.The data collection,preliminary weight
estimation,optimisation of wing loading,wing design and detailed
performance estimation is done. XFLR analysis is done.
Preliminary Design phase:
• Data Collection:
A fighter aircraft is used by the defense forces of the country designed
primarily for air-air combat against another aircraft,as opposed
bombers and attack aircraft ,whose main mission is to attack ground
targets.The hallmarks of a fighter are its maneuverability,speed and
size.Aircraft that do not fit in the standard defenition is fighter.The
fighter’s,main ability is to maintain air superiority over battlefield.In the
history of air combat, fighters which, by surprise or maneuver, attain a
good firing position have achieved the kill about one third to one half
the time, no matter what weapons were carried.
Preliminary design phase (contd):
• So in our analysis we have taken Mikoyan MiG-29 and General
Dynamics F-16 aircrafts respectively.
 Mig-29
S.NO Specifications Values
1. Crew 1
2. Length 17.32m
3. Wingspan 11.36m
4. Height 4.73m
5. Wing Area 38m²
6. Empty Weight 11000kg
7. Loaded Weight 14,900kg
8. Fuel Capacity 3500kg
9. Max.Take off Weight 18,000 kg
 Falcon F-16:
S.NO Specifications Values
1. Crew 1
2. Length 15.06m
3. Wingspan 9.96m
4. Height 4.88m
5. Wing area 27.87 m²
6. Empty Weight 8570kg
7. Loaded Weight 12,000kg
8. Max.Takeoff Weight 19,200kg
9. Fuel Weight 3200kg
OBJECTIVE:
• Experiences in the Vietnam war revealed the need for air
superiority fighters and better air-to-air training for fighter
pilots. Supersonic fighter bombers which had been
optimized for low altitude bombing were found to be
vulnerable to older MiG-17s and more advanced MiGs which
were much more maneuverable.To regain superiority.
Specifications were extremely ambitious, calling for long
range, good short-field performance (including the ability to
use austere runways), excellent agility, Mach 2+ speed, and
heavy armament.
OBJECTIVE(contd):
• Costs and time constraints should be kept in mind.
• High performance fighter aircrafts need very high acceleration and
thrust requirements.
• It should satisfy not only strength,stiffness but also fail safety and
corrosion resistant.
Performance Requirement:
Mig 29:
S.NO Specifications Values
1. Maximum Speed 2400km/h(HA)
1500km/h(LA)
2. Range 1,430km
3. Ferry range 2100km
4. Service ceiling 18000m
5. Rate of climb 330m/s
6. Wing loading 403kg/m²
7. T/W 1.09
8. Maximum g-load 9g
Falcon F16:
S.No Specifications Values
1. Maximum Speed 1470km/h(SL)
2120km/h
2. Combat radius 550km
3. Ferry Range 4220km
4. Service Ceiling 15240km
5. Rate of climb 254m/s
6. Wing loading 431kg/m2
7. T/W 1.095
 WEIGHT ESTIMATION

Assumptions:
1.One crew member in a fighter aircraft
and its the pilot.
2.Empty weight = 9600kg;
Payload weight = 4000kg;
Fuel weight = 3000kg.
Crew weight = 90kg
Payload weight = 4000kg
Weight Estimation(contd):
Formula Used:
1). WTO = WP + Wc
--------------------------------
1 - (Wf /Wo) - (We/Wo)
WO Estimation for various segments of the
mission :
Combat WO W O(OBT) Reconnaissance
300000 250547.7
8
291000 290647.3 WO WO(OBT)
4 300000 48788.08
200000 69795
150000 114257.4
Bombing WO Wo(OBT) 9
300000 17454.42 135000 150206.0
80000 31928.04 7
50000 47876

48500 49574

49000 48956.45
WO = 17404kg
Parameter selection for wing area and engine
sizing:
Parameter selection for wing area and engine
sizing(contd):

STO = (1.65 W/ ρgSDG ) ln((T/W) - µ /(T/W)-µ-CDG /CLr

= ln((T/W) - 1.9786/ (T/W) - 0.04)) × 1517.815
MATCHING PLOT :
clc
clear all
close all
x = [4862.1393 4862.1393001];
y = [0 100];
line(x,y,'Color','green')
text(4500,60,'Stall speed')
xlabel('W / S (N / m^2)')
ylabel('T / W')
hold on;
a=0:1:5000;
b=(126.84./a)+(0.01734.*a);
plot(a,b,'b');
text(2500,60,'Max speed')
b=(117.8443./(sqrt(a)))+0.1111;
plot(a,b,'y--');
text(2000,6,'Max ROC')
b=(11.93./(sqrt(a)))+0.1111;
plot(a,b,'c');
text(100,-2,'Ceiling')
b=0:1:100;
a=1.517./(log(b-0.04)-log(b-0.6718));
plot(a,b,'m');
text(250,80,'Take Off Run')
Optimum Region is taken as the area
below the max ROC curve, to the left
of stall speed curve and above the
maximum service ceiling.
Hence the coordinates is taken to be
(4750, 1.25).

Therefore, optimum thrust to weight

ratio is taken as 1.25 and optimum
wing loading is taken as 4750N/m².
ENGINE SELECTION:

• T = 1.25 ×WO
T = 1.25×17404×9.81
T= 186.09kN

• Considering twin-engine aircraft

T/2 = 93.0045kN
• Accordingly, chosen engine is GE F110 GE-129 max dry thrust of 131kN per
engine.
We=1778.1996kg
AIRFOIL SELECTION
STEP 1: W avg(cruise) = 16400 kg

STEP 2: Ideal Cruise Lift coefficient

CLc = 2× W avg / ρVC²S
= 2.817
STEP 3: Wing cruise lift coefficient:
Cw,Lc = CLc /0.95
=2.96
STEP 4: Aerfoil cruise lift coefficient:
Cw,Lc = CLc /0.9
= 3.288
• STEP 5:Max Lift coefficient
CLc =(2× W TO / ρoVs2 S )
=2.513
• STEP 6:
Wing max lift coefficient:
Cw,Lmax = (CL,max /0.95)
=2.645
• STEP 7:
Airfoil Gross max lift coefficient:
CL,max.gross = CLmax,W / 0.9
= 2.93
• STEP 8:
Cl,mac considering HLD:
CL,Max = CL,Max(gross) - ∆ CL,HLD
= 1.739

• Accordingly,as per the airfoil lift coefficient calculations and various

other airfoil qualities such as stall quality etc,. we choose NACA 64-
206 airfoil.

• NACA 64-206:

Max thickness 6% at 40% chord.

Max camber 1.1% at 50% chord
 NACA 64206 airfoil characteristics:

Cl Cl

Cd α
 NACA 64206 airfoil characteristics:

Cd Cl/Cd

α α
Wing Design:
• The data for supersonic flights are taken and statistically calculated
and optimized to arrive to the following results:
Wing span, b =11.21 m
Taper ratio, = 0.21
Leading edge sweep angle = 40 deg.
Root chord = 5.04 m
Tip chord = 1.0583m
• A low supersonic swept wing configuration is adopted .
All measurements are in meters.
THREE VIEW DIAGRAM:
• The following illustration has been approximated from statistical
data of the General dynamics F-16 supersonic fighter aircraft.