Designing an Aircraft

Designing an Aircraft

The Cessna 182 is a four-seat, single-engine aircraft. The 182 is known as part of the Skylane series of aircraft offered by the plane maker. The 182 has a maximum airspeed of 150 knots, and a 927 nautical mile flight range. This 182 series is a popular choice for many private pilots as the balance between power, cargo and passenger space and price keeps the 182 a solid economical option for aviators. Upgrade the 182 according to the particular aircraft's FAA issued Airworthiness DIrectives (ADs).

Introduction

This paper presents the design modification of Cessna 182 to land on water. Cessna 182 should be designed in a way that it augment the vertical surface area of the land plane with fins, so it is common to see Super Cubs and Beavers (and others) with ventral fins located on the tail or vertically, from the horizontal stabilizer.

Basic Performance Parameters Defined

Install a set of amphibious floats should your flight needs include water-based take-offs and landings. Fishermen use floats on the 182 to access deep wilderness lakes and rivers. Use the amphibs to land on water and tarmac as the amphibs have retractable wheels. If your flying needs include snow and glacier landings, modify the 182 with retractable skis for the landings and take-offs on snow.

Upgrade the steam-gauge instrument panel to the modern “glass cockpit.” A glass cockpit is not a cockpit made of glass; it is a new form of the standard gauges in a touch-screen computer readout. Glass cockpit modifications make navigation and pilotage easier with GPS, radio communication and digital readouts of the gauges. The 182 has the needed panel and fixtures to modify the instruments to the glass cockpit.

Design a custom paint job and scheme for your Cessna 182. Plan out the paint job using online templates, or hand draw. Provide the design to a certified aircraft body mechanic to make your custom design a reality on your aircraft.

Upgrade the engine. The engine itself may not be modified, but it may be replaced or upgraded. For example, the standard 182 uses a Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 powerplant (engine), but it could be upgraded to a turbo TIO-540-AK1A. This gives the 182 better climbing and faster airspeeds. In addition, the TIO-540-AK1A. allows the 182 to go to a maximum ceiling of 20,000 feet.

Design of an Aircraft

The design considerations addressed for the seaplane concept stemmed from the main objectives set out for the study which entailed:

• Enabling 'Force Closure' - to transfer or assemble troops/equipment at the Sea Base. • Logistics delivery - to transport, load/unload a range of payload sizes and weights.

• In-flight refueling -. to provide multi-point aerial refueling capability for combat Cessna 182.

A set of requirements was established to guide development of a notional seaplane concept. Some of the drivers that have been identified are detailed as follows:-

• Payload - 30 short tons (60,000lbs), with the ability to carry a sufficient number of troops (180) to move coherent units, transport several 20 ft TEU ISO ...