AIRPLANE DESIGN GUIDE FOR NOVEL DEVICES, CONFIGURATIONS, ANDCONTROL SYSTEMS

MANUFACTURES AND AIRCRAFT MODIFIERS ARE CONTINUALLY SEARCHING FOR NOVEL DEVICES, CONFIGURATIONS, AND CONTROL SYSTEMS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING QUALITIES OF AIRPLANES COMPARED TO MORE CONVENTIONAL DESIGNS. THE MOST INNOVATIVE (AND CONSEQUENTLY RADICAL) CONCEPTS TEND TO COME FROM KIT-BUILDERS, SINCE THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH PART 23. HOWEVER, SOME NOVEL CONCEPTS HAVE BEEN, AND CONTINUE TO BE, PRESENTED TO THE FAAFOR CERTIFICATION (E.G. THE AEROSPATIALE/MOONEY TBM 700 USESSPOILERS FOR ROLL CONTROL, AND BEECH STARSHIP WITH ITS FORWARD WING AND TIPSAILS). AND, TESTING GOING ON AT MANUFACTURERS AND MODIFIERS FACILITIES INDICATES THAT MORE ARE TO FOLLOW (E.G. SIDESTICK CONTROLLERS, CANARDS, AND WINGLETS). THERE IS CURRENTLY NO REFERENCE THAT CAN BE USEDBY DESIGNERS AND FAA EVALUATORS (WHERE APPLICABLE) TO ASSES THE PROS AND CONS OF NOVEL CONCEPTS. EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT THE TIME-HONORED METHOD OF EXTRAPOLATING FROM PAST EXPERIENCE IS NOT EFFECTIVE FOR MANY NOVEL CONCEPTS, AND THEPROPOSED DESIGN GUIDE IS INTENDED TO FILL THAT GAP. THE GOALS OF THE DESIGN GUIDE ARE TO: 1) PROVIDE DATA TO THE DESIGNER WHICH INDENTIFIES THE TRADEOFFS FOR COMPETING NOVELCONCEPTS, AND 2) PROVIDE SUFFICIENT BACKGROUNG TO ALLOW A MORE INFORMED CERTIFICATION PROCESS FOR PART 23 AIRCRAFT. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS PROGRAM WILL PROVIDE THE KNOWLEDGE-BASE REQUIRED TO MAKE INFORMED DESIGN TRADEOFFS RELATIVE TO NOVELAERONAUTICAL CONCEPTS. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE DATA WILL BE PUBLISHED IN BOOK FORM, WITH UPDATES TO SUBSCRIBERS, SIMILARTO THE ENGINEERING SCIENCES DATA UNIT VOLUMES (ESDU).