Analytical and Experimental Studies on Modified Wing Configurations of Cessna 172-R Aircraft to Improve Performance
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 37, Issue 3
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of wing design on the performance of the Cessna 172-R aircraft, focusing on modifications to its wing geometry. The study proposes two alternate configurations: one with increasing the span length and retaining the existing chord length, and the other with increasing the chord length retaining the existing span length. Experimental and analytical studies were conducted to evaluate the performance of these two configurations. The study found that the modified wingspan configuration significantly enhanced the aircraft’s performance, with an increase in lift coefficient, range, and endurance by 13.2%, 26.15%, and 29.26%, respectively. Additionally, the drag coefficient was decreased by 8.12%, indicating the potential for reduced fuel consumption and operational costs. In contrast, the modified wing chord configuration did not improve the performance output. These findings underscore the critical role of wing design in aircraft performance and highlight the potential for modifications to wing geometry to provide significant improvements in efficiency and operational cost. The results of this study indicate the scope for further research in this area, with efforts to optimize aircraft performance and reduce environmental impact.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.
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© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 11, 2022
Accepted: Nov 1, 2023
Published online: Jan 19, 2024
Published in print: May 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jun 19, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Aerospace engineering
- Aircraft and spacecraft
- Benefit cost ratios
- Business management
- Design (by type)
- Drag (fluid dynamics)
- Energy consumption
- Energy engineering
- Engineering fundamentals
- Financial management
- Fluid mechanics
- Geometrics
- Highway and road design
- Hydrologic engineering
- Practice and Profession
- Structural engineering
- Water and water resources
- Wind engineering
- Wind tunnel
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