Aircraft design

Aircraft design

The design of a series aircraft is based on that of a predecessor: a prototype or another series aircraft. This article describes a scientific case study of how a design team can design a series aircraft more efficiently.

Sector: Private

Industry: Manufacturing

Domain: Series aircraft

Aircraft design.
Aircraft design

Improve aircraft design: Preparation

Describe

Organization. A team of designers is tasked to design an extended version of an aircraft. The team consists of senior designers and junior designers. When confronted with new design issues, junior designers tend to invent new solutions, whereas senior designers tend to develop solutions with a higher chance of regulatory compliance. The latter is a requirement for an aircraft to be allowed onto the market.

Environmental factors. Competition with other aircraft manufacturers.

Challenge. Less access to the capabilities of senior designers results in a lower chance of regulatory compliance.

Formulate

Goal. Increase business performance.

Objective. Increase access to capabilities of senior designers for designing an extended version of an aircraft faster.

Benefit. Shorter time to market.

Estimate

Worthwhile.

Improve aircraft design: Execution

Identify

Inventory

  • Produce a series aircraft design
    • Retrieve the design rationale of a similar aircraft
    • Reuse the design rationale of a similar aircraft
    • Revise the design rationale for the new aircraft
    • Retain the design rationale of the new aircraft

Analyze

Classify

  • Experience:
    • Produce a series aircraft design

Compare

  • Organization strategy:
    • Produce a series aircraft design

Assess

  • Temporary advantage:
    • Produce a series aircraft design

Make

Anchor

  • System. Update the standard operating procedure for:
    • Produce a series aircraft design
  • Skills. Train junior designers in:
    • Produce a series aircraft design

Background research

Frances Brazier, Pieter van Langen, and Jan Treur (1997). A compositional approach to modelling design rationale. AIEDAM 11, 125-139.