A Multi-Objective Optimization Approach to Aircraft Preliminary Design

In this paper modern optimization techniques are applied to an aircraft sizing problem. The paper starts by discussing how optimization could support the design activity and thereafter different methods of formulating the design problem as an optimization problem is discussed. Finally the problem of aircraft sizing is addressed by combining the presented optimization strategy with a simulation model of an aircraft based on mathematical models gathered from the literature. The outcome of the optimization is for example the optimal layout in order to minimize fuel consumption for a specific mission or the trade-off between the number of passengers and the fuel consumption per passenger.