Sizing of Tilt-Wing Aircraft with All-Electric and Hybrid-Electric Propulsion

Abstract

This paper demonstrates integrated vehicle and propulsion system sizing and performance analysis using Parametric Energy-Based Aircraft Configuration Evaluator, an aircraft sizing methodology and framework integrating discipline analyses for aerodynamics, propulsion, and weight estimation with parametric geometry definition, resizing, and energy-based mission performance analyses. The framework is used to demonstrate vehicle and propulsion system sizing and analysis for a vertical takeoff and landing tilt-wing urban air mobility aircraft family with two variants. The first variant features an all-electric propulsion system architecture, while the second variant features a hybrid-electric architecture in which turbogenerators are used to supply cruise power requirements, offset battery power draw in vertical flight, and recharge the batteries. Both variants are sized for a representative urban air mobility mission profile while considering varying battery technology levels and trip distances.