ESICAPIA · Experimental Subsonic Investigation of a Complete Aircraft Propulsion system Installation and Architecture power plant optimization

The proposed project tackles a CfP from the JTI-GRA ITD. Is focuses on the experimental optimization of a regional aircraft configuration and a subsequent optimization of take-off/ landing configuration. The regional aircraft has a wing designed for natural laminar flow, fuselage-mounted engines and a T-tail. Open configurational questions that are addressed tackle wing-tip devices and their performance, engine positions as well as tail-plane position and settings. In order to account for the fuselage-mounted engine the model will include a working propulsion system designed to fit the real engines. This first test-phase focuses on the configurational questions, the second test-phase tackles the optimization of the HLD-devices by testing different configurations.Therefore apart from the modular aircraft configuration the different control surfaces, HLD devices used for assessing the landing-configuration and stability and control issues for the different configurations will include actuators to allow continuous setting and fast wind-tunnel tests. Pressure tubes, sensors and a balance system to measure engine thrust will be introduced into the aircraft model, too.The consortium for this proposal consists of 5 partners which were chosen according to their experience in different fields needed in this proposal. The consortium is well balanced, including SMEs, University and Industry.The work proposed in this proposal covers the total design, including solutions for actuators, propulsion system, the manufacturing of the model, its Ground-Vibration-Test and the Wind-Tunnel Test as well as the final subsequent modifications needed to operate the model in subsequent tests as required in the CfP. Thus the work is structured in four different work-package, dealing with Management, Design & Manufacturing, Tests and Final Modifications.