Design and Development of Aircraft Systems (Third Edition)

Provides a significant update to the definitive book on aircraft system design

This book is written for anyone who wants to understand how industry develops the customer requirement for aircraft into a fully integrated, tested, and qualified product that is safe to fly and fit for purpose. The new edition of Design and Development of Aircraft Systems fully expands its already comprehensive coverage to include both conventional and unmanned systems. It also updates all chapters to bring them in line with current design practice and technologies taught in courses at Cranfield, Bristol, and Loughborough universities in the UK.

Design and Development of Aircraft Systems, 3rd Edition begins with an introduction to the subject. It then introduces readers to the aircraft systems (airframe, vehicle, avionic, mission, and ground systems). Following that comes a chapter on the design and development process. Other chapters look at design drivers, systems architectures, systems integration, verification of system requirements, practical considerations, and configuration control. The book finishes with sections that discuss the potential impact of complexity on flight safety, key characteristics of aircraft systems, and more.

• Provides a holistic view of aircraft system design, describing the interactions among subsystems such as fuel, navigation, flight control, and more
• Substantially updated coverage of systems engineering, design drivers, systems architectures, systems integration, modelling of systems, practical considerations, and systems examples
• Incorporates essential new material on the regulatory environment for both manned and unmanned systems
• Discussion of trends towards complex systems, automation, integration and the potential for an impact on flight safety

Design and Development of Aircraft Systems, 3rd Edition is an excellent book for aerospace engineers, researchers, and graduate students involved in the field.

Allan Seabridge has over 50 years of experience in aerospace systems engineering, business development, and research & development, and has developed systems and engineering courses at UK universities. He has retired from full time engineering and enjoys spending time at an aircraft company heritage group.

Ian Moir spent 20 years as an Engineering Officer in the Royal Air Force and has broad and detailed experience working in aircraft avionics systems at a major UK avionics company. Ian has now retired from aerospace activities and is enjoying a life of leisure in the Cotswolds, whilst retaining an interest in aerospace.