Aircraft Performance Analyzer (APA) Live Task Documentation

Inputs

Mass & Geometry parameters:
- Aircraft Take-off Mass (Kg): Gross weight of the aircraft during the take-off
- Aircraft Landing Mass (Kg): Gross weight of the aircraft during the landing
Wing area (m²): Wing planform area
Propulsion parameters:
- Propulsive Eff. (Airborne): Propulsive efficiency when aircraft is airborne
- Propulsive Eff. (Ground): Propulsive efficiency considering ground effect
- Battery Rating (Hours): The discharge time over which the capacity was determined (typically 1 h for small rechargeable battery packs)
- Battery Voltage (Volts)
- Battery Capacity (Ah)
Aerodynamics parameters:
- CD0: Profile drag coefficient.
- K: Lift-induced drag coefficient.
- CLMax: Maximum lift coefficient of the wing.
- CD0Flap (Take-off): Profile drag coefficient due to flap extension during the take-off.
- CD0Flap (Landing): Profile drag coefficient due to flap extension during the landing.
- CD0Flap (Landing Gear): Profile drag coefficient due to landing gear extension
- CLCruise: Lift coefficient during the cruise condition
- DelCLFlap (Take-off): Lift coefficient increment due to flap extension during take-off
- DelCLFlap (Landing): Lift coefficient increment due to flap extension during landing
Atmospheric parameters:
- Altitude (m): Take-off, Cruise, Landing, and Climb
- Latitude and Longitude
Take-off Analysis Inputs:
- Obstacle Height (m): Obstacle height needs to be cleared
- Runway Friction Coefficient
Landing Analysis Inputs:
- Obstacle Height (m): Max height to start the landing phase
- Runway Friction Coefficient

Aero Data Table:

	Zero	Alpha	AlphaDot	Q	Beta	BetaDot	P	R
CD	Auto-calculated depending on the state (Take-off/ Cruise/ Landing)
CY
CL	Auto-calculated depending on the state (Take-off/ Cruise/ Landing)
Cl
CM
CN

where

CD: Drag coefficient
CY: Side-force coefficient
CL: Lift coefficient
Cl: Rolling moment coefficient
CM: Pitching moment coefficient
CN: Yawing moment coefficient
Alpha: Angle of attack
AlphaDot: Rate of angle of attack
Beta: Sideslip angle
BetaDot: Rate of sideslip angle
P: Roll rate
Q: Pitch rate
R: Yaw rate

Output

The live task generates an 'aircraft' structure and stores it in the workspace, comprising input data, performance results, and Aero.FixedWing objects.

The 'aircraft' structure contains the following data:

Inputs: Mass, geometry, propulsion, aerodynamics
Atmospheric parameters: Various altitudes (input), latitude-longitude, and related gravitational acceleration and density
Performance: All the performance analysis results and related data
Aero.FixedWing class objects

How to use APA Live Task?

Performance analysis:
- First populate the input section with the appropriate data.
- From “Choose Analysis Type Section”, select the appropriate analysis type and press the “Analyze Performance” button.
- This will generate the ‘aircraft’ structure with all the input data and performance data.
Create FixedWing Object:
- To create the FixedWing object, populate the aerodynamics data table with appropriate inputs.
- CD_Zero and CL_Zero, in the aerodynamics data table, are non-editable. They are calculated automatically by the performance analysis.
- Choose the appropriate state and click on the “Export FixedWing Object” Button.
- This will add Aero.FixedWing object to the ‘aircraft’ structure.
Code Generation:
- On performing the analysis, the 'APA Live Task automatically generates the MATLAB® code which is accessed by clicking on the 'Show Code' drop-down button at the bottom of the live task.
- This generated code can be modified if required.
Results: The generated code is automatically executed and provides the results in the form of plots and numeric data.