Aerospace design software

[jbocek]

Hello all... I'm new to Physics Forums so I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the correct area but here goes anyway... I'm interesed in designing a high performance composite GA (general avaiation) aircraft but need some assistance with selecting a good design software. I'm primarily interested (at least in the beginning) finding software that will allow me to select an airfoil (such as the GA airfoils by Harry Riblett) and then determine the optimum airfoil thickness to provide the perfect cL, cM, & cD (as well as optimum wing area, angle of incidence, etc) for the aircraft. Speed & low drag are the goals... Cost is a factor as I'm merely interested in designing a new wing to improve performance on a experimental Glasair III that I own.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Achy47]

Hello and welcome to Physics Forums! As a scientist with expertise in aircraft design, I would be happy to assist you with your inquiry. First, I would like to say that you have come to the right place for seeking advice on designing a high performance composite GA aircraft.

In terms of selecting a good design software, there are several options available that can help you with your specific needs. Some popular software used in the aerospace industry include SolidWorks, CATIA, and ANSYS. These software have features that allow you to simulate airfoil designs and optimize for performance factors such as lift, drag, and moment coefficients.

In addition to the software, I would also recommend consulting with aeronautical engineers who have experience in composite aircraft design. They can provide valuable insights and expertise in selecting the best airfoil and determining the optimum wing area, angle of incidence, and other design parameters to achieve your speed and low drag goals.

Cost is definitely an important factor to consider in any design project. Depending on your budget, you may want to explore open source or free software options such as XFLR5 or JavaFoil. These software may not have all the advanced features of commercial software, but they can still provide useful results for your design project.

Finally, I would like to remind you that designing a high performance composite GA aircraft is a complex process and requires careful consideration of various factors such as aerodynamics, materials, and structural design. It is important to have a well-defined design process and to continuously test and validate your design with real-world data. I wish you all the best in your project and I hope this information helps you in selecting the right design software.