Aircraft development: In the future, the first flight will take place on a computer

At first it looks like an old hat. Scientists at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) laid the foundation for the fully digital development of aircraft. But haven’t airplanes been computer-generated for a long time? The answer is yes and no.

“We were able to calculate the entire plane 30 years ago and did a lot of aerodynamic simulations,” explains project manager Stefan Görtz of the DLR Institute for Aerodynamics and Flow Technology. But: “A plane like this is also flexible. The wings bend, the content of the tank moves back and forth during maneuvers, and there’s a lot to take into account, and that’s exactly what matters,” says Goertz.

Compared to the Airbus A320

Now DLR has successfully combined the new simulation methods with each other. All related disciplines have been integrated into hypothetical flight tests, such as aerodynamics, aerodynamics, load analysis, flight dynamics and structure – according to Goertz, “no university and therefore no industrial company can do this yet.

Comparisons with wind tunnel tests and real flight tests of the DLR Airbus A320 D-ATRA research plane made it possible to verify hypothetical flight tests and refine the models. Now, for example, computer tests can be done to see how passenger comfort can be improved during storms or flight maneuvers.

First virtual flight

However, almost entirely new aircraft can also be designed, tested and flown. Scientists assume that the development process will increasingly rely on simulations. They believe that in the future there will be a first hypothetical flight first, which will later be verified and confirmed by the first real flight.

It reduces economic risks. According to DLR, reliance on computer simulations is also close.

In the photo gallery above, you can see DLR working with real and simulated airplanes.