Design and Optimization of a Large Turboprop Aircraft

Salvatore Corcione,Vittorio Trifari,Agostino De Marco,Fabrizio Nicolosi

doi:10.3390/aerospace8050132

Abstract

This paper proposes a feasibility study concerning a large turboprop aircraft to be used as a lower environmental impact solution to current regional jets operated on short/medium hauls. An overview of this market scenario highlights that this segment is evenly shared between regional turboprop and jet aircraft. Although regional jets ensure a large operative flexibility, they are usually not optimized for short missions with a negative effect on block fuel and environmental impact. Conversely, turboprops represent a greener solution but with reduced passenger capacity and speed. Those aspects highlight a slot for a new turboprop platform coupling higher seat capacity, cruise speed and design range with a reduced fuel consumption. This platform should operate on those ranges where neither jet aircraft nor existing turboprops are optimized. This work compares three different solutions: a high-wing layout with under-wing engines installation and both two- and three-lifting-surface configurations with low-wing and tail tips-mounted engines. For each concept, a multi-disciplinary optimization was performed targeting the minimum block fuel on a 1600 NM mission. Optimum solutions were compared with both a regional jet such as the Airbus A220-300 operated on 1600 NM and with a jet aircraft specifically designed for this range.

Highlights

IntroductionNowadays, the regional aircraft market segment is mainly influenced by a combination of three factors
From a preliminary overview, nowadays, the regional aircraft market segment is mainly influenced by a combination of three factors
This paper considers the possible design of a modern high-capacity turboprop aircraft that could potentially reduce the environmental impact of regional aircraft with respect to the current state-of-the-art regional jet widely adopted on short/medium hauls

Summary

Introduction

Nowadays, the regional aircraft market segment is mainly influenced by a combination of three factors. In 2008, the ATAG board developed a set of environmental goals for the short, medium, and long term which were supported and reiterated by the IATA Board and the association’s Annual General Meeting [1]. As pointed out in [2], most of the targets forecasted by IATA and ATAG for 2020 have not been achieved, and the expected carbon-neutral growth appears to be quite far This highlights the need to stress even more the reduction of the civil aviation environmental impact as the main driving parameter in the design of new and greener aircraft models

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Conclusion