MATLAB code for UC Irvine MAE 159 Aircraft Design course taught Winter Quarter 2026 by Dr. Ferran Marti
The intent of the course is to present and experience the basic concepts of an engineering design study as they apply to the airplane. A subsonic commercial transport is selected as the design problem since there is a substantial data base from which true closure on the design can be achieved. Primary focus is on design, not method development. All necessary methods are provided via the text and an extensive set of notes. For the given Design Specification (payload, range, cruise Mach number, etc), combined with certification requirements, the goal is to design an airplane that meets objectives at minimum weight and/or cost. Two phases:
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Airplane Sizing
Sizing involves the development of the set of airplane’s primary parameters (e.g. weight, wing area, fuselage size, thrust and number of engines, etc.) which meet the design specification and minimize DOC. This will result in the sizing and comparison of many distinct designs, all of which must meet the design specification in order to be compared with one another. Trade studies will be to iden"fy and compare the “best” design based on both DOC and weight. Development of a computer code using Python or MATLAB is essential and required for the completion of this task.
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Configuration and Layout
Based on the sizing results of Phase I, the configuration of the airplane will be developed as 3-view drawings. Interior layout and packaging will be established, as well as the utility of the configurations. A key requirement will be to establish and confirm center of gravity limits for all flight conditions. SOLIDWORKS in combination with OpenVSP (optionally) is recommended for preparation of the drawings.