Value-Driven Design Techniques for More-Electric-Aircraft: Multi-Stage Development Programmes

The development of modern aircraft engines is inherently a multi-stage process with two distinct customers. In the first stage of the development programme the engine manufacturer has ‘buy’ their way onto the airframe. In this stage the aircraft manufacturer will often play each engine manufacturer off each other to achieve the best outcome for themselves. In the second phase of the programme the engine manufacturer must convince individual airlines to purchase and operate their engine.

In some cases the outcome of the first stage will result in the engine being sole-sourced, in other instances the engine will compete with another manufacturers. Additionally, it is possible that the engine manufacturer will have an engine on a competing airframe. While most engine manufacturers have a heuristic feel for this process the advent of the ‘more-electric aircraft’ has the potential to upset this. The issue with more electric aircraft is that while it may lead to a better overall aircraft it changes the design trades within the engine and between the engine and airframe, potentially leading to a worse outcome for the engine manufacturer.

This research will build upon the work undertaken by UoM in developing an approach to determine the ‘best’ design of non-traditional aircraft for a diverse airline market to incorporate the multi-stage aspect of the development programme; specifically the airframe/customer division. Using the more-electric-aircraft as a starting point this PhD will look at understanding the cooperative/competitive nature of this process to develop a methodology to help identify the best candidate architectures for future aircraft engines. Further, this methodology will form the groundwork for a consistent value-driven approach to be used throughout the preliminary and detailed design and development process.

Areas of expertise: MACEAerospaceVS