Aircraft Design

By Prof. A.K. Ghosh | IIT Kanpur

Learners enrolled: 3722 | Exam registration: 402

About the course : This course will presents the entire process of aircraft conceptual design - from requirements definition to initial sizing, configuration layout, analysis, sizing, optimization, and trade studies.

Intended Audience : Btech, Mtech, PhD

Prerequisites : Introduction to Airplane Performance - https://nptel.ac.in/courses/101104061

Industries Support : DRDO, HAL, Boeing, Airbus, Bell, McDonnell Douglas, UAV Factory, Lockheed Martin

Summary

Course Status :	Ongoing
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	Aerospace Engineering Flight Mechanics
Credit Points :	3
Level :	Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Start Date :	20 Jan 2025
End Date :	11 Apr 2025
Enrollment Ends :	03 Feb 2025
Exam Registration Ends :	28 Feb 2025
Exam Date :	26 Apr 2025 IST

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1: Overview of the Design Process

Airfoil and Geometry Selection

Thrust-to-Weight Ratio and Wing Loading

Week 2: Initial Sizing

Control-Surface Sizing

Configuration Layout

Week 3: Aerodynamic Considerations

Structural Considerations

Vulnerability Considerations

Week 4: Crew Station, Passengers, and Payload

Week 5: Propulsion and Fuel System Integration

Fuel System

Landing Gear Arrangements

Week 6: Step-by-Step Development of a New Design

Aerodynamics

Propulsion

Week 7: Structures and Loads

Weights

Group Weights Method

Week 8: Stability, Control, and Handling Qualities

Longitudinal Static Stability and Control

Lateral-Directional Static Stability and Control

Week 9: Performance and Flight Mechanics

Equations of Motion

Operating Envelope

Week 10: Cost Analysis

Operations and Maintenance Costs

Aircraft and Airline Economics

Week 11: Sizing and Trade Studies

Vertical Flight--Jet and Prop

Extremes of Flight

Week 12: Design of Unique Aircraft Concepts

Flying Wing, Tailless, Lifting Fuselage, and Blended Wing-Body

Conceptual Design Examples

Books and references

1. Introduction to Flight By – Anderson

2. Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach by Daniel P. Raymer

Instructor bio

Prof. A.K. Ghosh

IIT Kanpur

Prof. A.K. Ghosh is a faculty of Aerospace Engg. Department of IIT Kanpur. He is also the in-charge of the flight laboratory and unmanned aerial vehicle of IIT Kanpur. His research areas include system identification through flight tests using conventional and neural network based methods, design of aircrafts and airborne projectiles, supercavitation, unmanned aerial systems. Before joining IIT Kanpur, he worked as a scientist with Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO). He has published many peer reviewed journal papers and conference papers, guided 13 doctoral students, and 38 masters students. He is also a mentor of multiple aerospace start-up companies, and also been associated with major industry contributions of high speed low drag aircraft bomb, Pinaka Mk-I, 105mm sabot round for tracked vehicles, etc.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.

The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).

Date and Time of Exams: April 26, 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.

Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.

The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.

Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 8 assignments out of the total 12 assignments given in the course.

Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup.It will have the logos of NPTEL and IIT Kanpur .It will be e-verifiable at nptel.ac.in/noc.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- NPTEL team