Need help finding aircraft sizing software?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the search for aircraft sizing software that can accommodate specific mission profiles and perform calculations related to empty weight and fuel weights. Participants explore the capabilities of existing software and the potential for custom solutions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks software that allows input of mission profiles to calculate empty and fuel weights, mentioning parameters like L/D, cruise altitude, AR, Swet, and Sref.
  • Another participant asserts that no software exists that can fully design an aircraft based on a mission profile input, emphasizing the role of aerospace engineers in the design process.
  • A different participant clarifies their needs, stating they have already performed preliminary calculations and are looking for a program to streamline the process of incorporating mission profiles and calculating weights.
  • One suggestion is made to use MATLAB to automate the calculations, implying that scripting could replace manual iterations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the availability of suitable software, with some asserting that no comprehensive solution exists while others seek specific functionalities. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the existence of a software tool that meets all the specified needs.

Contextual Notes

Participants' claims depend on the definitions of "software" and "design," and there are unresolved assumptions about the capabilities of existing tools versus custom programming solutions.

stealthxxy
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Hey guys,

I'm looking for some software capable of allowing the user to input a specific mission profile and ultimately calculating empty weight and fuel weights providing input such as your L/D, cruise altitude, AR, Swet, Sref, ect. I'd even be interested in more advanced programs with the capability of implementing your design sketches and doing all the above calculations with a few clicks of a button. Any help/advice is well appreciated!
 
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There isn't such a piece of software. That is why you have aerospace engineers.

If you have a design, there are pieces of software that could do some of the work for you an give estimates.

But there are no pieces of software that you could input "I want to fly from London to New York" and it would design an aircraft for you.
 
Hey, this is stealthxxy (apparently there were a few mix ups due to multiple accounts, sorry about the inconvenience). Jarednjames, let me be more specific. I have already sketched multiple aircraft for specific design requirements. From these requirements, I calculated wetted areas, reference areas, L/D's, specific fuel consumptions, cruising altitudes ect. What I'm looking for is a program that could allow me to incorporate a mission profile (take off, climb, cruise, loiter, divergence ect.) and easily calculate my empty weight and fuel weight so I wouldn't have to do the iterations by hand and therefore pick a suitable design candidate in a reduced amount of time. If indeed, no such program exists, then could you point me towards some programs that do make rough estimates for you in other areas of aerospace design.
 
Just write a MATLAB script to iterate for you then. If you can do UT once by hand, MATLAB (or another language) can do it a zillion times.
 

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