Avionic Systems Design option - MSc in Aerospace Vehicle Design

• Dr Craig Lawson

To expand the your knowledge of airframe systems, their role, design and integration. In particular, to provide you with an appreciation of the considerations necessary and methods used when selecting aircraft power systems and the effect of systems on the aircraft as a whole.

• Introduction to airframe systems,
• Systems design philosophy and safety,
• Aircraft secondary power systems,
• Aircraft pneumatics power systems,
• Aircraft hydraulics power systems,
• Aircraft electrical power systems,
• Flight control power systems,
• Aircraft environmental control,
• Aircraft icing and ice protection systems,
• Aviation fuels and aircraft fuel systems,
• Engine off-take effects,
• Fuel penalties of systems,
• Advanced and possible future airframe systems.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

• Identify the main airframe systems and explain their purposes and principles of operation; including Secondary Power Systems (Pneumatic, Hydraulic and Electric), Environmental Control Systems, Ice Protection Systems, Flight Control Power Systems and Fuel Systems,
• Formulate the requirements that drive the design of the main airframe systems,
• For each of the main airframe systems: differentiate the various architectures and reasons behind the differences; identify types of equipment and major components used and assess their principles of operation; and perform basic sizing analysis for systems and major components,
• Appraise the effects of airframe systems power provision on aircraft power plants and analyse fuel penalties resulting from a given system’s presence on an aircraft by carrying out basic calculations,
• Examine the reasons for, and propose possible types of changes, that may occur in airframe systems in the near future.

To provide you with an understanding of the cockpit environment and the technologies supporting the modern flight deck.

• The flight deck – A historical perspective.  Cockpit layout - modern military and civil scenarios.
• Flight Instruments - The Basic-T, engines, systems, other interface layouts.
• Displays
  • o    Electro-mechanical displays.
  • o    Head down displays – CRTs and AMLCDs.  Drivers, functions, technologies and performance.
  • o    Head up displays.  Drivers, functions, technologies and performance.
  • o    Helmet mounted displays.  Drivers, functions, technologies and performance.
  • o    Emerging HMI technologies and concepts.
• Flight Control
  • o    Traditional flight control systems.
  • o    Fly-by-wire.  Drivers, technologies, integrity, value, flight envelope control.  A-320 case study.
• Situational Awareness
  • o    The advanced / modern cockpit.  Challenges of information transfer in a complex environment and advanced machines.  Pitfalls, with case studies (incl. B757 accident in Latin America, A320 accident in France).
  • o    Alert prioritization.  The dark and silent cockpit concept.
  • o    CFIT awareness –     TAWS – technologies and purpose.
  • o    Traffic awareness – TCAS – technologies and purpose
• A classroom exercise will be completed during this module. Solutions will be collected in by the tutor at the end of the module

1. 1. Explain the functions and layout of the cockpit human-machine interface (HMI).
2. 2. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the different capabilities and functions of various HMI technologies.
3. 3. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of flight control systems, and appreciate the merits of fly-by-wire technologies.
4. 4. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the function and capability of surveillance systems such as ACAS and TAWS.

• Professor James Whidborne

To provide an understanding of the mathematical techniques that underpin both classical and modern control law design.

• The Laplace transform,
• Transfer-function approach to modelling dynamic systems,
• State-space approach to modelling dynamic systems,
• Time-domain analysis of simple dynamic systems,
• Frequency response of simple dynamic systems,
• Sampled-data and discrete time systems.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

• Use Laplace transform techniques to derive transfer functions of typical mechanical, electrical and fluid systems,
• Calculate and plot the step and frequency responses of linear systems,
• Derive the state equations for typical systems,
• Obtain discrete time representations of linear systems,
• Use MATLAB for matrix and systems algebra and to plot system responses.

This module aims to provide you with an understanding of current and future air traffic control and traffic flow management systems. The objective is to discuss current ATM standards and technology applied in the systems and to review the future concepts as described by SESAR/NextGen.

• Air Traffic Control, Context.
• Air Traffic Control and Air Traffic Management.
• Air Traffic Control, Organizational Elements.
• Airspace Design.
• Air Traffic Control as Human Supervisory Control System.
• Air Traffic Control Operations.
• ATC Conflict Assessment.
• ATM Challenges.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Critically evaluate the current ATC systems, functions of different ATC components and ATC procedures.
2. 2. Discuss the airspace classification and separation standards.
3. 3. Describe the future CNS/ATM and the RNP/RNAV concept as proposed in SESAR/NextGen programmes.
4. 4. Apply a systematic understanding of the basic approaches to development of capacity and delay models for future air traffic demands.

• Dr Mushfiqul Alam

To provide an introduction to the fundamentals of aircraft stability and control.

• Stability, control and handling qualities relationships,
• Aircraft aerodynamic controls,
• Static equilibrium and trim,
• Longitudinal static stability, trim, pitching moment equation, static margins,
• Lateral-directional static stability,
• Introduction to dynamic stability, first and second order responses,
• Equations of motion and modal characteristics.

On successful completion of this module you will be able to:

• Describe the concepts of: trim, stability and control,
• Describe methods of providing static stability for a conventional aircraft,
• Describe the modes of motion of a conventional aircraft.

To provide you with an introduction to the aircraft airworthiness as well as knowledge of reliability assessment methods, safety assessment methods, and certification issues associated with the design of Aircraft Systems (including weapon systems and survivability).

To familiarise you with current air accidents investigation techniques and processes.

• Airworthiness,
• Reliability,
• Reliability requirements – JAR25-AC.1309,
• Probabilities of failure, MTBF, MTBR, etc,
• Reliability models – series and parallel systems, common mode failures,
• Safety Assessment Analysis Methods,
• Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA),
• Fault Tree Analysis (FTA),
• Reliability predictions,
• Common Cause Analysis (CCA),
• System Safety Assessment Process,
• Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA),
• Preliminary System Safety Assessment (PSSA),
• Air Accidents Investigation.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understand of the aircraft certification process and how aircraft design is driven by airworthiness requirements,
• Identify system safety requirements,
• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the procedures and steps for system safety assessment,
• Develop system reliability models and perform safety assessment at different levels,
• Simulate and analyse system reliability.

• Professor James Whidborne

To provide knowledge of the fundamentals of control engineering for the analysis and design of control systems in aerospace applications.

• Feedback control system characteristics,
• Control system performance,
• Stability of Linear Feedback Systems,
• Root locus method,
• Frequency response method,
• Nyquist stability,
• Classical controller design,
• State variable controller design,
• Robust control.

On successful completion of this module a you should be able to:

• Analyse and explain the stability, characteristics, behaviour and robustness of single input/ single-output feedback control systems,
• Design controllers for single-input single-output systems,
• Use modern PC-based CAD software to solve control engineering problems and design control systems using classical methods,
• Recognise and explain the advantages and limitations of feedback and recognise the importance of robustness.

To provide you with a comprehensive knowledge of inertial and satellite navigation systems.

Inertial sensor technology:

• Accelerometers,
• Gyroscopes,
• Inertial sensor specifications.

Mechanisation equations:

• Coordinate systems, position and direction cosine matrixes, quaternion equations,
• Inertial navigation algorithms and computation,
• Inertial system error analysis.

Inertial navigation systems design:

• Gimballed platform systems,
• Attitude and heading reference system (AHRS),
• Strapdown inertial systems,
• Inertial system calibration and alignment.

Overview of GNSS – GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO and other systems:

• Space segment - satellites, orbit planes and altitudes,
• Ground segment - distributed control and monitoring stations,
• User segment – various kinds of user receivers.

GPS positioning principles:

• Signal structure,
• positioning and attitude determination algorithms,
• GPS error analysis, GPS integrity monitoring,
• GPS receiver design.

Augmentation of GNSS:

• Space based augmentation,
• Ground based augmentation,
• Avionics based augmentation.

GNSS Aviation Applications:

• GNSS for positioning, navigation and landing,
• GNSS for precise time dissemination,
• Differential GNSS and Test Range Applications.

On successful completion of this module a you should be able to:

• Cite the various kinds of inertial sensors and navigation satellite systems,
• Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of inertial and GNSS systems,
• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the principles of inertial and GNSS navigation and the navigation computation methods,
• Design and develop inertial and GPS navigation systems.

• To provide you with knowledge of the methods for the design and development of avionics software systems.
• To give you an understanding of Ada language and the programming techniques.

• Software Life-Cycle Engineering – Requirements Analysis, Design, Development and Test.
• Design methodologies.
• Top-down vs bottom-up approaches.
• Object oriented design.
• Design for reusability and maintainability.
• Real-time considerations.
• Software verification and validation - Formal methods and standards.
• The Ada language. The LRM, data and programming structures.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Evaluate and discuss a conceptual understanding of software design methodologies.
2. 2. Discuss a working knowledge of the life-cycle implications in software design, development and test.
3. 3. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of Ada programming language.
4. 4. Use Ada programming language to implement software.

• Dr Craig Lawson

To facilitate you in gaining fundamental knowledge of the theory of conventional fixed wing aircraft performance to a level suitable for an aerospace vehicle designer. In particular, to provide you with the ability to apply aircraft performance theory, practically in the context of aerospace vehicle design.

• Introduction to Aircraft Performance,
• Aircraft Cruising Performance,
• Aircraft Climb and Descent Performance,
• Aircraft Take-off and Landing Performance,
• Aircraft Manoeuvre Performance,
• Flight Path Performance Estimation,
• Aircraft Performance Measurement.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

• Have knowledge of the performance of characteristic of conventional fixed wing aircraft,
• Understand and be able to apply methods of estimation of flight path performance,
• Be able to assess and evaluate the performance characteristics of a conventional aircraft,
• Appreciate the importance of airworthiness requirements in conventional aircraft.

To provide an overview of radio propagation in the earth’s atmosphere and to give you a good understanding of the fundamentals of radio systems, radio navigational aids and radar.

Electro-Magnetic Waves and Radio Propagation

• The EM  spectrum, properties and propagation.
• Radio Transmission: LOS and beyond LOS transmission.  Multiplexing and modulation; Spread spectrum techniques; Antennas.
Terrestrial Navigation
Terrestrial Radio Navigational Aids.
DF, NDB, MB, VOR & DVOR, DME, ILS, MLS,  TACAN.
Doppler Navigation.

Radar

• Basic principles.
• Principle of operation and Radar Equations.
• Radar components – Transmitter,  Antenna, Receiver.
• Operational modes: CW, pulsed, pulse compression, SAR.
• Radar applications – surveillance systems, tracking systems, weather radar, radar altimeter.
• Radar cross-section and stealth technology.
• Pulsed radar: the implications of design considerations on radar performance; pre-detection integration and post-detection integration.
SSR

• The Transponder – Modes A, C, S and ES.
ACAS
• TCAS – principles of operation.
• ADS based conflict avoidance.
TAWS

• GPWS and EGPWS – principles of operation.
 

1. 1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the underlying principles and issues relating to radio propagation in the earth’s atmosphere.
2. 2. Describe the principles of operation of radio navigational aids and radar.
3. 3. Select appropriate radio systems for communication and navigation.
4. 4. Select performance criteria for radar applications.

To provide you with a comprehensive understanding of aircraft control systems and autopilot functionalities.

Flight Dynamics
Aircraft models.
Aircraft state equations.
Aircraft dynamic stability and response.
Control systems design.

Introduction to Aircraft Control Systems
Overview of stability augmentation systems.
Aircraft handling qualities.

Fly-by-Wire (FBW) Flight Control
Definition and principles of Fly-by-Wire (FBW) technology.
Case study on modern aircraft FBW control systems.

Autopilot Systems
Introduction to autopilot systems.
Functionalities of autopilot systems.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Design and analyse aircraft control systems.
2. 2. Analyse principles and characteristics of Fly-by-Wire (FBW) flight control.
3. 3. Explain autopilot functionalities.
4. 4. Evaluate autopilot effectiveness in various flight scenarios.

To study different avionics communication systems and to provide you with an understanding in fundamental issues relating to communication systems design, integration and testing.

• Digital Signals and representations (foundations of signals Processing)
• Multiplexing and multiple access techniques (such as FDMA, TDMA, CDMA, CSMA, etc)
• Modulation and demodulation techniques (such as QPSK, BPSK, M-ray, Noncoherent and coherent Demodulation methods)
• Requirements for digital links systems
• VDL system design (Mode 2, 3, 4)
• Digital HF radio design, SATCOM system design
• Installation and integration

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the underlying principles and issues relating to design, installation and testing associated with airborne communication systems.
2. 2. Understand the operation of civil and military radio communication systems.
3. 3. Design and develop radio communication systems for aeronautical applications.

To study different data-bus architectures and to provide you with an understanding in fundamental issues relating to avionic hardware design, integration and testing.

• Avionics hardware considerations – Cables, installation, electromagnetic and environmental requirements, power requirement.
• Avionics systems architectures – Federated, distributed, centralised, IMA.
• Aircraft data networks – Fundamental concepts: architectures, topologies and protocols.
• Aircraft data networks – Military, civil and commercial examples, including ARINC 429, ARINC 629, ARINC 659, MIL-1553, STANAG 3910, ACSB, CSDB and AFDX.
• Avionics systems integration and testing – Fundamental concepts.
• Avionics rig and laboratory functional tests.
• Avionics EMC/EMI and environmental testing.
• Avionics flight test techniques and instrumentation.
• Experimental data analysis methods.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Discuss various design, installation and testing issues associated with avionics hardware.
2. 2. Understand the operation of civil and military data networks and their associated standards.
3. 3. Specify avionics laboratory, ground and flight test principles and techniques.

To introduce you to the advanced techniques for design and development of integrated aircraft navigation systems.

• • Overview of multisensor data fusion.
• • Kalman Filter techniques.
  • o Fundamentals, matrix and probability theories.
  • o System dynamic models.
  • o Linear Kalman filter.
  • o Linearised and Extended Kalman filters.
  • o Statistical characteristics of Kalman Filters
• • Navigation System Error Dynamic Models.
  • o Inertial system error models.
• • GNSS positioning and attitude determination models.
  • o Integrated navigation System design.
  • o Integrated navigation system architectures.
  • o Integrated Kalman filter architectures.
  • o Integrated navigation algorithm design.
• • Case study
  • o Redundant inertial/Doppler/Air data/GPS integrated navigation systems.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Understand the design principles of various Kalman filters.
2. 2. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of different integrated navigation systems.
3. 3. Analyse and model navigation system error dynamics.
4. 4. Design and develop multisensor-based navigation software simulation systems.

To introduce the you to the principal methods for the design and development of fault – tolerant avionics systems.

• Concepts of dependability.
• Fault, cause and effect.
• Hardware fault tolerance.
• Software fault tolerance.
• Failure detection techniques.
• Design of practical fault-tolerant avionics systems.
• Case study – Fault-tolerant navigation systems and flight control systems.
 

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

1. 1. Identify the basic principles and concepts of fault-tolerant design.
2. 2. Understand principal hardware/software-implemented fault-tolerant methods.
3. 3. Choose fault-tolerant architecture on the basis of dependability requirements.
4. 4. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the different advantages and limits of fault avoidance and fault tolerance techniques.

• Dr Simon Place

To provide you with flights in the Flying Laboratory in support of the lecture course in Aircraft Aerodynamics, Aircraft Performance, and Aircraft Stability and Control.

These flights are key for students who are from a non-aeronautical background, and will also serve as a refresher for the remaining students.

• Measurement of aircraft drag and effect of flap (AD, SD & ASD),
• Aircraft longitudinal static stability (AD & SD),
• Avionic demonstration and inertial system accuracy (ASD),
• Dynamic stability modes (AD, SD & ASD).

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

• Describe the flight test techniques used to measure simple aerodynamic parameters and assess navigation systems,
• Describe the dynamic stability modes of a conventional aircraft.

• Dr Amir Zare Shahneh

The aim of this module is to provide you with the knowledge of the Atmosphere and of the basic aerodynamic characteristics of a conventional aircraft in the context of its mechanics of flight.

• Atmosphere Mechanics: structure of the atmosphere, international standard atmosphere model, design atmospheres,
• Air Data Systems: Pitot-static systems. Altitude, airspeed and Mach number. Air temperature and airflow direction detectors,
• Basic flight mechanics: forces acting on the aircraft, balance and trim. The forces of lift and drag and their characteristic dependencies,
• Powerplant thrust characteristics: effects of weight, altitude, temperature and Mach number,
• Aircraft axis systems,
• The aerodynamic aspects of the outline design process of a transport aircraft.

This module has additional accompanying flying laboratory tutorials in the Jetstream Aircraft. See Flight Experimental Methods (FXM).

On successful completion of this module a you should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of the international standard atmosphere and design atmospheres,
• Identify aircraft air data systems and air data measurement,
• Identify the basic force system of a conventional aircraft,
• Demonstrate an ability to calculate the principle aerodynamic forces of lift and drag,
• Perform a simple initial aerodynamic design of an aircraft.

The aim of this module is to introduce you to the role of Computer Aided Design technologies in a modern Integrated Product Development process and provide hands-on experience of CAD using the CATIA v5 software.

Introduction to Integrated Product Development (IPD) for aircraft design.

Overview of Computer Aided Design, Manufacture and Engineering tools and their role in IPD.

Introduction to CAD modelling techniques:

• Solid Modelling.
• Assembly Modelling.
• Parametric Design.
• Surface Modelling.
• Drafting.

Hands on CATIA exercises using CATIA v5 including fuselage and wing design exercises.

Using CATIA for the Group Design Project.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

• Explain the role of Computer Aided Design and Analysis technologies in the aircraft development process,
• Differentiate between Computer Aided Design, Computer Aided Manufacture and Computer Aided Engineering and understand the information flows between these tools,
• Select appropriate CAD modelling techniques for a variety of design applications,
• Use Computer Aided Design software to create simple 3D models using solid, assembly and surface modelling techniques,
• Apply their knowledge and skills to design aircraft components as part of the Group Design Project.

To introduce you to system engineering concepts, system lifecycle models and system design processes and methods.

• Introduction to Systems,
• Life Cycle Models,
• System Requirements,
• Systems Design,
• System Integration, Verification and Validation.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

• Demonstrate a understanding of the basic concepts of the main life-cycle models,
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these models,
• Define and analyse system requirements and specifications,
• Determine system development process and define the work to be performed at different development phases,
• Apply development life-cycle models to the AVD Group project.

• Dr Craig Lawson

To introduce you to the process of aircraft conceptual design and support structural layout work, were required, through participation on the Group Design Project.

• Aircraft project design process,
• Drag and weight prediction:Drag sources, polar, estimation, weight prediction methods. Layout aspects:wing; power plant; landing gear; fuselage,
• Simple tail plane and fin layout,
• Overall project synthesis and case study of aircraft,
• Structural requirements, - strength, stiffness and serviceability,
• Analysis of requirements, sources of load and reference datum lines,
• Role of structural members - main plane, stabilisers, auxiliary surfaces, fuselage,
• Analysis and sizing methods - elementary theories,
• Departures from elementary theories - constraint effects, cut outs, buckling.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

• Angelos Plastropoulos

To provide you with an introduction to the leading IVHM technologies and concepts being implemented in various health monitoring systems, and their application to aircraft design.

IVHM has become an integral part of Aerospace Vehicle Design. You will be able to comprehend IVHM techniques and be able to use them in AVD Group Design Project.

• Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) and different tools available,
• Sensors and Instrumentation for different aircraft sub-systems (aircraft structures, aero-propulsion systems, electric power and power distribution systems, avionics, etc.)
• Fault detection and isolation techniques,
• Reasoning methods (model-based, case-based, etc.) and their use in aircraft health management,
• Prognosis approaches for aircraft health management,
• Physics of failure approaches,
• IVHM Design for aircraft health management,
• Structural health monitoring,
• Cost benefit analysis of IVHM implementation.

On successful completion of this module a you should be able to:

• Communicate unambiguously IVHM terminology and apply it correctly, given that the IVHM is a developing field,
• Demonstrate an understanding of the key IVHM Concepts; failure modes, failure effects, failure symptoms, sensors, detection, diagnostics, prognostics, etc,
• Select appropriate sensors and instrumentation for different sub-systems of the aircraft,
• Build a diagnostics/prognostics algorithm(s) for different sub-systems of the aircraft,
• Design IVHM systems for different sub-systems of the aircraft in the Group Design Project.

To introduce you to the engine and aircraft-related aspects of the propulsion system, with the primary emphasis being placed on gas turbine engines.

• Simple gas turbine theory illustrating the effect of gas turbine cycle parameters,
• Relations between specific fuel consumption, specific range and thermal and overall efficiencies for various engine types including turbo-props,
• Choice of cycle for various applications,
• Brief assessment of engine size required and engine / airframe matching including the importance of the airworthiness performance requirements,
• Impact of engine rating on engine / airframe matching,
• Impact on engine installation of various systems required by the aircraft.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

• Understand how a propulsion system is defined,
• Assess the performance interface between the engine and the airframe.