Global Aircraft Design Course RFP FALL 2008 Regional Commuter Aircraft Background The recent increase in fuel

costs have the airline industry reeling. The public faces the same economic problems with personal transportation systems, so the airlines are unable to merely pass along the cost increases to the public. The last time a fuel crisis hit the airlines, solutions such as propfans were proposed that maintained the desired speed range of the customer, but reduced the fuel costs significantly. These development efforts ended and were not implemented once fuel prices returned to acceptable levels. Hence, the industry today is facing a similar dilemma. Project Objective The objective of this project is to develop and present a design for a regional commuter aircraft capable of providing operators with efficiency of operation 10-20% greater than current regional commuter aircraft. Technologies available by 2020 should be considered. Requirements and constraints Design Mission: The design mission for this aircraft must be accomplished with full load of passengers and baggage: 1. Warm up and taxi, takeoff 15 min idle power 2. Climb and accelerate to 25,000 ft cruise altitude 3. Cruise at 475 kts. @ constant altitude. Total climb plus cruise distance must equal 2000 Nmi. 4. Descend no fuel or distance penalty 5. Land no fuel penalty 6. Taxi 10 min idle power Other Requirements: 1. The cabin shall include a flight deck for two pilots, passenger compartment with stand-up headroom (greater than 72 inches) along a center aisle, and baggage compartment. 2. The aircraft must have a crew of two in a side by side arrangement. 3. Full passenger load is 60. 4. At maximum landing weight, the aircraft approach speed must be less than or equal to 160 kts. The maximum landing weight must be no less than 80% of the maximum design takeoff weight. 5. Cabin Pressure shall provide an equivalent altitude of 8000 ft., including the baggage compartment. 6. Baggage compartment must be no less than 400 cu ft. 7. Maximum operating altitude altitude is 40,000 ft. 8. Maneuvering load factors: +2.5 g and -1.0 g. 9. The aircraft shall be designed to FAR Part 25 requirements. 10. The aircraft shall have a maximum cruise speed of 475 kts @ 25000 ft. Safety Constraints:

1. Fuel reserves for 50 Nmi to alternate airport plus 45 minutes loiter at 5000 ft. 2. The aircraft must have an FAA balanced field length of 5500 feet at 4000 ft ISA. 3. Second segment climb capability with one engine inoperative shall be greater than 2.8%. Conditions for second segment climb are gear retracted, flaps in takeoff position. Speed must not be less that 1.2Vstall. Altitude shall be 400ft above take off field altitude. 4. Others specified in FAR 25. Economic Constraints: Production Cost estimates should be based on a production run of 500 aircraft. 1. Total flyaway cost and DOC are to be estimated. 2. DOC are a primary factor in selection. Efficiency of the design is to be optimized and specific design features applied to this end are to be described in the proposal. 3. Emphasis shall also be placed on minimizing airport turn-around times. Features of the design that address this shall be highlighted in the proposal. Manufacturability: The proposal must describe consideration of features that simplify manufacturability and assembly. Sustainability: The proposal must describe features of the aircraft design that maximize reliability, simplify maintenance, and minimize special ground support equipment and airport turnaround time. Environmental: The proposal must describe design features that minimize environmental impact as far a pollution and noise are concerned Weights: Crew/Passenger 200 lbs ea. Baggage 50 lbs. ea passenger Uninstalled avionics 300 lbs

Subsystems: (Provided below are specifications for conventional systems. Alternative/advanced subsystems are permitted with appropriate substantiation and assurances that they can be available within the specified technology timeframe) Landing Gear Retractable gear shall be incorporated into the design. Gear must withstand a 10 fps vertical velocity at the landing weight with no damage. Brakes must be capable of stopping the aircraft at takeoff weight within the specified balanced field length. 4 Landing gear must be positioned so that the aircraft possesses a 75 ft radius turning circle.
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Hydraulic The system must be designed for operating pressures of at least 3000psi. Emergency pressurization of the hydraulic system shall be provided in the case of primary system failure. 3 Burst testing of components shall exceed 2 times the operating pressure. 4 Emergency hydraulic power shall be sufficient to lower and lock landing gear in the down position as well as providing sufficient braking force for landing and ground taxi. 5 The hydraulic systems shall provide sufficient power for 30 minutes of flight maneuvers to include one landing approach sequence.
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Fuel
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The fuel system shall be capable of fuel jettison in an emergency situation to reach design landing weight within 3 minutes. The fuel system shall be both pressure and gravity refuelable. The former shall withstand pressures up to 50 psi. The fuel system shall incorporate the ability to measure and display fuel quantities to the crew during refueling and flight. Shut off valves shall be incorporated to cut off supply of fuel to the engines in the event of an engine fire. The system shall allow crew to manage fuel distribution in the aircraft.