Creating aero-databases by adaptive-fidelity CFD coupled with S&C analysis to predict flying qualities

CEASIOM, the Computerized Environment for Aircraft Synthesis and Integrated Optimization Methods, is a framework tool that integrates discipline-specific tools for conceptual design. At this early stage of the design it is very useful to be able to predict the flying and handling qualities of this design. In order to do this, the aerodynamic database needs to be computed for the configuration being studied which then has to be coupled to the stability and control tools to carry out the analysis. This paper describes how the adaptive-fidelity CFD module of CEASIOM computes the aerodynamic dataset of an aircraft configuration, and how that dataset is analyzed by the SDSA module to determine the flying qualities of the aircraft. These predicted flying qualities are then compared with the flight-test data of the Ranger 2000 trainer aircraft in order to verify the goodness of the overall approach. The design, simulate and evaluate (DSE) exercise demonstrates how the software works as a design tool. The exercise begins with a design specification and uses conventional design methods to prescribe a baseline configuration. Then CEASIOM improves upon this baseline by analyzing its flying and handling qualities. This paper reports on the DSE case Transonic cruiser TCR from baseline design to Tier-I+ design