Concurrent Engineering in the Aircraft Industry and It's Relationship to the Development Process

The development of modern jet aircraft is a monumental undertaking which costs billions of dollars, takes several years, and usually involves thousands of people located around the globe. Aircraft companies routinely bet their future on the success of new models which underscores the importance of delivering the right product, at the right time, at a price the customer is willing to pay. Concurrent engineering techniques are being embraced by many aerospace firms to develop better customer requirements, reduce development time to market, improve manufacturability, and reduce life cycle costs. This paper investigates concurrent engineering efforts in the aerospace industry and their effect on the aircraft development process.