Light Aircraft Design & Construction

Assoc. Professor DR. ZAMRI OMAR

Department of Aeronautical Engineering
Faculty of Mechanical & Manufacturing Eng.
Email : zamri@uthm.edu.my
UNIVERSITI TUN HUSSIEN ONN MALAYSIA

B.Eng.Mechanical(Aeronautic), UTM
M.Eng.(Mechanical), UTM
PhD (Aerospace), RMIT University
Private Pilot (C172, PA28)
http://zamriomar.wix.com/zamri
Zamri Omar, UTHM
~Course Content
No. Topic Hours Date
1 Historical Overview 1 3 April
2 Conceptual Design 3 3 April
3 Preliminary Design 3 4 April
4 Detail Design 3 5 April
5 Construction Preparation 1 5 April
6 Basic Tools 3 6 April
7 Composite Construction 3 7 April
8 Metal Monocoque Construction 3 10 April
9 Steel and Aluminum Tube Construction 3 11 April
10 Wood and fabric Construction 3 12 April
11 Completion 1 12 April
Examination 3 13 April
Total 30

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~(4) Configuration Layout – Geometric Sizing

Needs intuition, experience, art. Several primary considerations;

1. Overall configuration. ; 1 or 2 engines ? Pusher or tractor ?
2. Wing Configuration
3. Fuselage Configuration
4. CoG Location
5. Tail Sizing
6. Propeller Sizing
7. Landing Gear & Wing Placement

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1. Overall configuration ; 1 or 2 engines ?
 How do we choose ?

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1. Overall configuration ; 1 or 2 engines ?

 We needs 362.5 hp engine.

Available;
 Lycoming TIO-540V rated 360hp
supercharged at 18000 ft

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 1. Overall configuration ; 1 engine. Pusher/tractor ?
 Pusher
• Good airflow over wing/fuselage
• Cabin noise reduced
• Pilot view improved
• Heavy load at the back, move CG moves backward,
longitudinal stability reduced.
• Prop may damage on landing
• Engine cooling problem

 Tractor
• Heavy load in front, CG moves forward, smaller tail
• Prop airflow undisturbed
• Good engine cooling
• Prop slipstream disturbs airflow over FL/wing root.
• Skin friction drag over fuselage increased.
 SELECTED tractor
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 2. Wing configuration ?

The shape :
 Aspect ratio : AR=b2/S
 Wing sweep
 Taper ratio
 variation of airfoil shape &
thickness along span
 geometric twist

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 2. Wing configuration ?
The shape :
 Aspect ratio : AR=b2/S 

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 2. Wing configuration :Taper ratio ?

The shape :
Taper ratio, =Ct/Cr
 Small taper ratio 
lighter wing structure

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 2. Wing configuration :Taper ratio ?

The shape :Taper ratio, =Ct/Cr

 Low taper ratio  causes undesirable
flow separation & stall behavior.

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 2. Wing configuration :Taper ratio ?

The shape :Taper ratio,

=Ct/Cr = 0.5

AR = 7.07
Wing Area = 176 ft2.
Zamri Omar, UTHM
 2. Wing configuration : Position ?

 Low wing

 Mid wing

 High wing

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 2. Wing configuration : Wing position ?
Low wing
• Good for landing gear placement in the wing box
• Need substantial dihedral
• Due to engine location, need longer landing gear for ground clearance
• Requires dihedral for lateral stability

Mid wing
• Provides lowest drag
• Only needs very little dihedral
• Structural disadvantages bending moment support ?  SELECTED Low wing
• Need heavy ring frames !
 fillet is used to
High wing minimize undesirable
• Allow lower fuselage, good for transport aircraft (load & unload)
drag (wing-fuselage
• More stable laterally (rolling), undesirable
• Anhedral is needed to decrease roll stability interference)
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  3. Fuselage configuration :

 Fuselage must be big enough

to place the engine, pilot,
baggage & passenger.
 where to store the fuel ?
fuselage or wings ?
 Fuel in the wings causes less
CoG movement.

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 3. Fuel Tank Location

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 3. Fuel Tank Location ~ Lear Jet 24D

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 3. Fuselage configuration :

 passenger & luggage

 6 people + 120 lb luggage

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 4. Center of Gravity Location :

 Fuselage length is estimated.

 Major weight components :
already known (pilot, baggage,
passenger).
 Can do initial estimation.

Zamri Omar, UTHM

  5.Tail Sizing

 HT for longitudinal stability (elevator).

 VT is for directional stability (rudder).
 Tail size must adequate to provide sufficient control & stability.
 Examine various tail configuration

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 5.Tail Sizing

 Needs some calculations !

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  5.Tail Sizing

 Needs some calculations !

 Based on tail volume, tail
arm, etc.

Zamri Omar, UTHM

 6. Propeller Size

 prop diameter ?
 need calculations !
 based on max speed, blade
tip speed, etc.
 3-blade with 6.53 ft
diameter

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 7. Landing gear & wing placement

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 7. Landing gear & wing placement

 Selected : tricycle

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 7. Landing gear & wing placement

 Needs some calculations !

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 7. Landing gear & wing placement

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 THE LAYOUT

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 THE LAYOUT

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 THE LAYOUT

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 THE LAYOUT

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 ~Discussion ? Questions ?
Class Assignment (15 minutes)
Take a piece of paper, sketch your
conceptual Light Aircraft of 4 seats.
Provide 3 view sketches. Put your
name on the paper.

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