Aerodynamics and Aircraft Design Software
Aerodynamics and Aircraft Design Software
Aerodynamics and Aircraft Design Software
Note: files here may be posted in various formats. Remember that for PCs (Windows) the lines are
terminated with a CR/LF, for a "classic Mac" the lines end with a CR, while for unix (and modern Macs) the
lines are terminated by an LF. Recall CR means carriage return and LF means line feed. Add dealing with
these variations to your computational engineering toolbox. Finally, students often have permissions issues
with windows *.exe files: All .exe files are run as user; however, the default file output location is usually C:
which is an administrator directory and will create an error at run time due to permissions issues. Always use
a folder with user permissions to output data files to such as Documents. Finally, a student has further
suggestions and tips for using the codes. 1. Do not have any spaces in the directory name, Ex. (
C:\User\Documents\VT 2016, The space between "VT" and "2016" will not be recognized by the code) 2.
The input file must match the example input file exactly (The number of spaces between the columns and
before the first column of numbers must match the example code) Finally, the programs and manuals change
as students suggest clarifications and other improvements. And these codes are of course for educational use
only.
Another source of classic aerodynamics codes is the CD sold by Ralph Carmichael, Public Domain
Aeronautical Software (PDAS). These codes can now be downloaded for free!
Current Software
Aerocal Pak #1 Takeoff Distance Calculation*
stand alone NACA 1135* Landing Gear Integration
Standard atmosphere Propulsion
Airplane Design and Sizing Geometry
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Induced Drag for a single planar wing*, Vortex lattice analysis and design: VLMpc*
LIDRAG Vortex lattice analysis and design: VLM
Induced Drag for nonplanar lifting systems*, 4.997 (manual only)
idrag Vortex lattice analysis code in MATLAB:
Induced Drag for simple nonplanar lifting Tornado
systems, with camber line design*, LamDes2 An extended vortex lattice code from Prof.
Drela at MIT and Harold Youngren: AVL
Vortex lattice design to find the 2D camber Supersonic aerodynamics of arrow wings*
line for a given chordload*, DESCAM Minimum drag and area distribution*
Subsonic Airfoil Analysis and Design: XFOIL Harris Wave Drag computation (manual and
6.9 data sets only)
Subsonic Airfoil Analysis and Design: Pablo Supersonic cone at zero angle of attack
Subsonic Airfoil Analysis and Design:
JavaFoil
* - executable available
Aerocal Pak #1
This software is a BASIC program that implements the old Aerocal Pak #1, Basic Aerodynamic Relations. It
has the NACA 1135 tables, Prandtl-Meyer angle and inverse, properties of oblique shocks, the
Rayleigh/Fanno line table and the 1976 standard atmosphere. Originally written for a programmable
calculator, the code is in QuickBASIC, and runs as is on a Mac with QuickBASIC. A one line change is
required to run it on an IBM type PC. The file is standard ascii text.
Aerocal Pak #1
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FOILGEN Airfoil generation: NACA 4&5 Series and 6 and 6A camber lines
This is an interactive FORTRAN program that allows the user to construct airfoils using the NACA 4 digit or
modified 4 digit airfoil thickness distributions and the NACA 4 digit, 5 digit or 6- and 6A series camber
lines. A variety of output options are available on the screen. It can also create a file for use as input to airfoil
analysis programs. This file is in the so-called "Jameson format". The file is standard ascii text. It should run
using any FORTRAN compiler.The theoretical description of the equations used is available as a pdf file
which is actually an Appendix to my Applied Computational Aerodynamics Notes.
FOILGENMan.pdf
foilgen.f
foilgen.exe
Geometry for Aerodynamicists(pdf)
Planform Analysis
This software includes a BASIC program that implements the old Aerocal Pak #2, Basic Geometry for
Aerodynamics. I put it up for the little planform and wing analysis programs, which I find still find useful,
although today it should be on a spreadsheet. It also generates the shapes for several of the classic bodies of
revolution, and has the BASIC (original) version of the FORTRAN program FOILGEN given above for the
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NACA airfoils. Originally written for a programmable calculator, and then translated to Applesoft, the code
is in QuickBASIC, and runs as is on a Mac with QuickBASIC. A one line change is required to run it on an
IBM type PC. The file is standard ascii text. The theoretical description is available as a pdf file which is
actually an Appendix to my Applied Computational Aerodynamics Notes. An executable of a FORTRAN
program in also posted here, together with the manual, sample input and sample output.
OpenVSP is an open source vehicle design suite. VSP stands for Vehicle Sketch Pad. The origin of this work
is currently NASA Langley Research Center, with work done at Cal Poly.
CEASIOM
CEASIOM is a European aircraft design project. Some of the capability is free, and some requires joining the
consortium.
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Utah State has a page of Aero Analysis Codes, the lifting line method is called MachUp. You need to sign
up, but can then do analysis for free. Their group has been working on improved lifting line methods for
many years.
MachUp
stdatm.f
stdatmf.m
stdatmtest.m
The following web-based standard atmosphere calculators have been suggested by students:
Digital Dutch
AerospaceWeb Also can provide Reynolds number
ConvertIt Calculator
This program can be used to estimate the basic friction drag of an airplane. It is from Mason's Applied
Computational Aerodynamics Class, and the acrobat manual is App. D.5 of the class notes. It should run
using any FORTRAN compiler. Along with the manual and code, a sample input and the resulting sample
output are provided. In November of 2002 an executable version has been added.
This program can be used to find the induced drag of a system of nonplanar lifting elements. It was written
by Joel Grasmeyer. It has both design and analysis capabilities. This means that you either find the spanload
required to obtain the minimum induced drag, or you can input a spanload and find the induced drag. The
program also prints out the span efficiency factor e. This program does not give you the twist and camber
required to generate the spanloads. Three FORTRAN programs are required and must be linked to run the
program.
idrag.f
idragin.f
math77.f
idrag.exe
idragman.pdf The program manual
dsample.in A winglet design example input file
dsample.idrag A winglet design example output file
asample1.in An analysis example input file (linear load distribution)
asample1.idrag An analysis example output file
asample2.in An analysis example input file (elliptic load distribution)
asample2.idrag An analysis example output file
Induced Drag for simple nonplanar lifting systems, with camber line design
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John Lamar's design program, modified to find the span e for two nonplanar lifting surfaces given the
spanload on each surface. This is a more capable version of LIDRAG. This code also finds the wing camber
and twist required to obtain this spanload at subsonic speeds. The code will also do an optimization analysis,
finding the minimum trimmed drag and spanload required to achieve it. Three samples are included. The first
is the sample case in the NASA TN, the second is an isolated wing with an aspect ratio of 10, taper ratio of
0.5, and a sweep of 30 degrees. Both of those cases neglect airfoil contributions. The third case is for a wing
canard and includes airfoil properties in the optimization.
MinDrag.exe
AWAVE is a version of the Harris Wave Drag code. You can get a copy from the PDAS site described above.
We have put the manual (essentially a description of the Craiden geometry data set), and a sample input and
output here.
implement the methods of NASA TP 2907 to find the best way to trim the aircraft when you have multiple
possibilities. This includes three surfaces, and two surfaces with thrust vectoring.
VPI-Aero-200.pdf (the complete report, including the user's manuals for the codes)
CPRCheck.sit CPRCheck (the spreadsheet in Lotus 1-2-3 format, in Stuffit format from a Macintosh)
VPINASACPC.sit VPI-NASA-CPC (the spreadsheet in EXCEL format and improved by Marty
Waszak at NASA Langley, in Stuffit format from a Macintosh.)
VTnascpc.zip VPI-NASA-CPC (the spreadsheet in EXCEL format and improved by Marty Waszak at
NASA Langley, zipped so that an IBM can download and unzip. It is the same file format from a
Macintosh as the .sit file above. EXCEL on IBM should be able to import the file - let me know if
there is a problem.)
trim3s.f (FORTRAN program implementing NASA TP 2907, the version for 3 surfaces)
3SURFACE.DAT (input file that reproduces the case in the manual)
trimTV.f (FORTRAN program implementing NASA TP 2907, the version for 2 surfaces and thrust
vectoring)
2SURFACE.DAT (input file that reproduces the case in the manual)
LDstabdoc.pdf This is the report describing the methods, including the user's manual
Note: on March 26, 2004 we have revised the calculation, adding the estimation of the Cn-beta
contribution from the wing as described in DATCOM and added two more inputs to the code,
not described in the user's manual (for which we only have the pdf file). See the sample input
file for the additional input description, previously not required.
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Digital DATCOM is a code that can be used to estimate stability and control derivatives. It is on our design
lab PCs. It is an industrial strength code that has a non-trivial learning curve. However, it has the capability
to estimate stability and control characteristics at supersonic speeds. This information is not available in
Roskam's volumes, so we needed to add it to our computing library.
VMCA is a MATLAB file to calculate the single engine minimum control speed of a jet powered airplane. It
was written by Mike Cavanaugh and uses the stability and control derivatives estimated from the
lateral/direction program by Joel Grassmeyer, listed above.
John Lamar's two surface vortex lattice program, developed at NASA Langley. The program treats two
lifting surfaces using up to 200 panels. Vortex flows are estimated using the leading edge suction analogy.
This program was typed in from the NASA TN D, which contained the listing, by students in Applied
Computational Aerodynamics nearly 10 years ago. John Lamar didn't have a copy of the code anymore. It
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has been modified to run in WATFOR, and to produce 80 column output. Now it runs in Compaq Visual
Fortran. In November 2002 an executable has been added. The source now includes PC directory code
specific to PCs.
VLMpc Manual (pdf) Note: this code has many check cases
VLMpcv3.f The source code
VLMpc.exe The executable
vlm.dat
vlm.out
vlm2.dat
vlm2.out
B767.dat
B767.out
YF23.inp
YF23.out
YF23.in2
YF23.out2
Tornado is a Vortex Lattice Program, written in MATLAB. It comes from KTH, the Royal Institute of
Technology, in Stockholm, Sweden. Tomas Melin wrote the program, and Professor Arthur Rizzi was his
advisor. It is a very flexible program, and can handle a wide range of geometries. Also, it is still being
developed, so check the site for updated versions.
An extended vortex lattice code from Prof. Drela at MIT and Harold Youngren: AVL
AVLis a very general Vortex Lattice Program. It comes from MIT, and is by the author of the widely used
XFOIL airfoil analysis and design code. It is a very flexible program, and can handle a wide range of
geometries.
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Xfoil The location for the code, which is available under the GNU licensing rules, and related manuals
and discussion groups.
Pablo is a subsonic airfoil analysis and design program. It comes from KTH, the Royal Institute of
Technology, in Stockholm, Sweden. Christian Wauquiez wrote the program, and Professor Arthur Rizzi was
his advisor. Pablo stands for "Potential flow around Airfoils with Boundary Layer coupled One-way". It is a
MATLAB code, so you need to have MATLAB to run it. Eventually, this url will go away, and when it does,
Prof. Rizzi has given us permission to put this up on our site at Virginia Tech.
TSFOIL2 provides a finite difference solution of the transonic small disturbance equation. It will run on my
Mac with no problem. The source code is provided as standard ascii text. The code was written by Earll
Murman and co-workers, and includes wind tunnel wall effects. It originated at NASA Ames. It’s very old,
but appears to be in the public domain. The listing was included in a NASA CR which is referenced in the
mini-manual provided here as a pdf file. The NASA CR (3064) is also now available as a pdf file from the
NASA Technical Reports Server.
Arrow is a code to compute the linear theory lift curve slope, aerodynamic center and drag due to lift of
arrow wings at supersonic speed.
Sims also made tables for circular cones at small angle of attack, see NASA SP 3007.
Propulsion
The best source of propulsion information and software is the site by Professor Jack Mattingly. He is a co-
author of the AIAA Aircraft Engine Design book, and the software that goes with it. Various codes are
available from him.
Propulsion codes, including ONX. Note that OFFX is apparently included in the AEDsys code.
These programs allow the designer to assess the configuration against the landing gear requirements, and
also the pavement thickness requirements. Finally, there is a code that will estimate the landing gear weight.
The report and codes are available on a separate page that is accessible by looking at the html cover page for
the report and software for MAD 96-09-01, "Landing Gear Integration in Aircraft Conceptual Design."
This program computes the takeoff distance, including the balanced field length. The program uses the
method of Krenkel and Salzman. Two versions are available. The original FORTRAN program was written
by Sean Lynn as an undergraduate research project. After some initial experience, a few improvements to the
numerics were made by Pete MacMillin, who felt compelled to convert the code to c. For the test case, there
is very little difference between the answers from the two different codes. The input files are also slightly
different between the FORTRAN and c verisons. The basic theory is contained in Sean's, final report, which
is available as a pdf file.
takeoff2.c
TAKEOFF2cman.pdf
takeoff.in the sample input
takeoff.out the sample output
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