Feasibility Study of an Airplane Development Program

Aircraft design is a complex and fascinating business and field of research. Many good books have been written about it but most of them lack a comprehensive description about the feasibility phase of an aircraft development program. This chapter, therefore, will primarily act as an introduction to the elaboration of requirements for aircraft design leading towards the main steps of a viability analysis of an aircraft program. It will not attempt to duplicate the material found in the existing aircraft design books, but will give information about the financial analysis of a 50-seat airliner together with the descriptions of aircraft and component design. It also presents otherwise published and unpublished data and design methods that are suitable for feasibility studies, aircraft conceptual, preliminary and detail design activities. Examples of tasks carried out by under- and graduate students are presented. A viability of a new or re-engine program for a 75-seat airliner is explored using game theory.

Keywords: Aircraft design phases, Conceptual design, Design requirements, Financial analysis, Game theory, Market analysis.