Modification of ACSYNT aircraft computer program for preliminary design

This paper presents the development of a computer simulation of agility flight test techniques. Its purpose is to evaluate the agility of aircraft configurations early in the preliminary design phase. The simulation module is integrated into the NASA Ames aircraft synthesis design code. Trade studies using the agility module embedded within the design code to simulate the combat cycle time agility metric are illustrated using a Northrop F-20 aircraft model. Results show that the agility module is effective in analyzing the influence of common parameters such as thrust-to-weight ratio and wing loading on agility criteria. The module can also compare the agility potential between different configurations and has the capability to optimize agility performance early in the design process.