Design Considerations for a Supersonic Transport

This paper discusses the design considerations for supersonic transport aircraft of four types-one with a variable sweep wing and three with fixed wings. Two of the fixed wing types have canards, and one has an aft tail. The aerothermoelastic effects of sweep angle, wing thickness, “lg” working stress, and materials are shown.

Some of the general design considerations discussed are: probability predictions of survival of a major structural component; important fatigue spectrum considerations; estimations of the magnitude of creep from a 30,000 hr SST spectrum.