Introduction {#mainpage}

mission_analysis is an assessment tool that outputs the flown mission profile, saves characteristic parameters within that profile and checks if performance requirements are met. The following mission types can be analyzed:

• design_mission:
  • Defines the mission for which the aircraft shall be optimized
  • MTOM is altered during the design process
  • Exports the mission profile as a CSV file
  • Except MTOM, all other results for the Aircraft Exchange File are saved in the design_mission node
• study_mission:
  • Calculates off-design missions
  • Exports a mission profile as a CSV file
  • All results for the Aircraft Exchange File are saved in the study_mission node
• requirements_mission:
  • Checks top-level aircraft requirements and possible maxima (like maximum operating altitude)
  • In the Aircraft Exchange File only the requirement_compliance block is edited

Mentioned parameters include the energy consumptions which has a high impact on how the aircraft is sized. That's the reason why (unlike many other assessment tools) its design_mission calculation takes place within the design loop of our RCE Workflow.

Once your mission is calculated, you can choose from a wide range of profile data which allows you to further investigate what your aircraft actually does. Here's a little example graph which visualizes the engines' total fuelflow during a design_mission:

Visualization of an example mission profile.

Quick Overview

By now, only a standard (3D) mission method is implemented. Its mid-fidelity version can trigger the three missions mentioned above while the low-fidelity sub-version is only used for the design_mission. The later is a Breguet-based estimation of the consumed mission fuel and it is triggered automatically if no initial values where given for the design_mission. A 4D trajectory mission is also planned, but it is still in the making.

  graph TD;
    A[mission_analysis]-->B[design_mission]
    B-->E[low-fidelity]
    B-->F[mid-fidelity]
    B-->G["(high-fidelity)"]
    A-->C[study_mission]
    C-->H[mid-fidelity]
    C-->I["(high-fidelity)"]
    A-->D[requirements_mission]
    D-->J[mid-fidelity]
    D-->K["(high-fidelity)"]

Where to start

If you want a step-by-step guide to start your first calculation, head over to the Getting Started section. We will show you some basic functionalities and how to get your airplane into the air.

Further details about the methods can be found here.