As I write, there has been a distinct improvement in the UK’s weather. It’s something we British like to discuss a lot, and the warm sunshine makes a welcome break from the wind that has been constantly blowing a gale since the start of the year.
Thinking I’d consigned my pushbike to the shed for the rest of this year in favour of flying a kite, I became lost in a reverie about how aerodynamics govern the size and shape of new aircraft. Civil aircraft designs are based upon the standard tubular fuselage, pair of wings, some engines and a tail. Many have been marvels of modern engineering like Concorde, whereas the design flaws of others have led certain aircraft to acquire derogatory nicknames. Civil airframers have taken a well-worn flightpath by sticking to the fundamental design principles - after all, why try and reinvent the wheel? The recent Paris Airshow had me wishing I had a copy of Jane’s World Aircraft Recognition handbook. Forgive me for sounding like an old plane spotter, but was that an A350, a C Series CS300 or a 787 Dreamliner flying overhead? Design purists must long for a revolutionary new aircraft whose curves and lines set it apart from the prosaic – something that breaks the mould like Concorde. I’m soon brought down to earth when I consider that environmental regulations, along with the airline operating costs will forever dominate the demands that today’s designers of tomorrow’s aircraft will need to satisfy before they even leave the drawing board, let alone the runway. Like it or not, turning dreams into schemes will always be fettered by the commercial airline operator’s directive. If you’re thinking of a ‘first’ in aircraft design then think first about the three P’s: practicalities, profits and passengers! Mike Richardson, editor
