Assessment of Conceptual High-Capacity Regional Turbopropeller Aircraft

Designers are motivated to create more a efficient aircraft design following the growth of the market and environmental restrictions. As a result new interest in propeller-powered aircraft as such engines show higher theoretical propulsive efficiency as compared to turbofan engines. The employment of turboprop engines on commercial aircraft has so far been limited on short-range regional aircraft, capable of transporting up to seventy passengers. The thesis shows the feasibility of a 130-passenger commercial turboprop aircraft configuration where propeller forces and slipstream effects are included in the determination of aircraft longitudinal stability and control. For configurations with increased stabilizer dynamic pressure the stability, equilibrium and rotation limits are reduced in restrictiveness, allowing for a decrease of horizontal stabilizer area. However, these limits should still be satisfied in power-out conditions, eliminating the possibility of design an conventional aircraft capable of utilizing the slipstream effect fully in order to reduce the horizontal stabilizer area.The final results present a set of 130-passenger turboprop aircraft where the main influence of the key performance indicators is the engine positioning. The set of configurations is shown to be competitive based on a comparison with existing turboprop aircraft and turbofan aircraft operating on the same mission.Aerospace Engineering | Flight Performance and Propulsio