The multi-step process that precedes the construction of an aircraft is known as aeronautical design. Simply put, it is the stage of the aircraft construction process where plans are made. The three phases of the aeronautical design process are conceptual, preliminary, and detail.
Propulsion and aerodynamics — how objects moving through air respond to the forces they encounter — are usually taken into account during all three of these phases of aeronautical design. Certain types of aircraft, such as gliders, don’t need to worry about propulsion. Gliders rely on the dynamic action of air on their lifting surfaces to keep them aloft.
The requirements that the aircraft must meet are evaluated during the conceptual phase, and various ideas are explored. The purpose of the aircraft is one of the most important factors to consider during this phase. Whether a craft is a passenger jet, cargo carrier, bomber, or helicopter, for example, will have a significant impact on its design. Technical requirements such as speed and payload capacity, as well as the costs of building and maintaining the aircraft, are all taken into account. The materials to be used are a major, specific factor to consider in this phase, as this decision will affect both performance and cost.
During the conceptual phase, the aircraft’s major systems — power, navigation, communications, landing, flight control, and fuel — are addressed. This is especially important to do at this stage because they have a significant impact on the overall size and shape of the aircraft.
The preliminary phase is the second of the three phases. This stage usually entails a close examination of at least one of the concepts hatched during the first — the “conceptual” stage. The preliminary phase entails testing to ensure that the most promising design will be able to withstand the stresses that will be placed on the future aircraft. The testing of scale models in wind tunnels to see how the design structure reacts to powerful air currents and other forces is a common part of this phase.
A “high-level design” is created at the end of the preliminary phase. This means that all problems with the plane’s major systems and subsystems have been resolved. It also means that the models and test benches (environments created for the purpose of testing a design) have adequately predicted how the aircraft will perform once the prototypes are tested.
The detail phase is the third and final phase of aeronautical design. The detail phase entails filling in the design with all of the specific engineering data required for the manufacturing process. This is, in a sense, the fine-tuning phase of the process.
Although “aeronautical” and “aviation” are frequently used interchangeably, “aeronautical” is a more inclusive term that refers to any type of ship that travels through the air. This includes dirigibles and hot-air balloons, as well as other lighter-than-air craft. The word “aeronautical” comes from the Greek words aero, which means “air,” and nautikos, which means “ship, sailor, or navigator.”