Author: [Your Name]
Date: [Insert Current Date]
The Aircraft Performance & Envelope Analysis Tool is a Python-based application designed to analyze and visualize key aspects of aircraft performance using simplified yet educational aerodynamic and propulsion models. It emphasizes conceptual clarity and demonstrates fundamental aircraft performance engineering principles with practical implementation in code.
This project serves as a compact yet comprehensive demonstration of how aircraft design parameters influence performance, while acknowledging simplifications necessary for rapid prototyping.
- Implement the International Standard Atmosphere (ISA) model for atmospheric properties across altitudes.
- Define a comprehensive aircraft parameter model including aerodynamics, structure, and propulsion.
- Simulate and fit drag polar data using a parabolic model.
- Calculate and plot the V-n Diagram to visualize structural and speed limits.
- Determine and plot Maximum Rate of Climb and Maximum Climb Angle versus altitude.
- Estimate Service Ceiling from ROC profile.
- Plot Thrust Available vs. Speed and Thrust Required vs. Speed across representative altitudes.
- Implement Breguet Range and Endurance equations for jet and propeller aircraft.
- Calculate simplified Takeoff and Landing Ground Roll distances.
- Simulate the Effect of Wind on ground speed and fuel burn.
- (Optional) Outline logic for a Payload-Range Diagram.
- Aerodynamics: Lift, Drag, Drag Polar, Stall, Induced Drag modeling.
- Performance Estimation: Climb, Range, Endurance, Takeoff/Landing.
- Propulsion Modeling: Jet and propeller thrust/power variation.
- Flight Envelope Analysis: V-n Diagram with structural and aerodynamic limits.
- Atmospheric Modeling: ISA model for standard atmospheric conditions.
- Data Fitting: Synthetic flight test data and
curve_fitfor drag estimation. - Numerical Analysis: Iterative computation across altitudes and speeds.
- Visualization: Clear plots using Matplotlib for all major performance metrics.
- Python Proficiency: Modular, well-documented code with NumPy/SciPy.
- ISA Model (
isa_model) - Aircraft parameter structure (dictionary or class)
- Thrust/Power models with lapse rate
- Fuel consumption estimation
- Synthetic drag polar data simulation
- Drag polar fitting with
scipy.optimize.curve_fit - Lift & drag helper functions
- Thrust required for level/climb flight
- V-n Diagram calculation and plotting
- Rate of Climb & Climb Angle vs. Altitude
- Service Ceiling estimation
- Thrust/Drag vs. Speed curves
- Breguet Range & Endurance (Jet/Prop)
- Ground roll distances (Takeoff & Landing)
- Wind effect simulation
- Drag Polar Curve
- V-n Diagram
- Rate of Climb vs Altitude
- Thrust Available vs Thrust Required
- Breguet Range/Endurance Outputs
- Ground Roll Estimates