Analysis of Terminal Area Operations and Short Field Performance of Hybrid Electric Distributed Propulsion

Hybrid Aircraft Propulsion System Synthesis (HAPSS) is a computer program developed at Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) that designs, sizes, and analyzes generic hybrid propulsion systems for aircraft. The development of this program began during a NASA SBIR effort at ESAero with the creation of a propulsion fan design tool. Since then, ESAero has analyzed both conventional and superconducting electric machines and their performance ramifications. Terminal Area Operations (TAO), referring to approximately the first and last 5% of the mission and includes taxi, takeoff, climb, descent, approach, and landing, is an avenue for aircraft hybrid propulsion systems to improve efficiency of the overall mission. Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion (TeDP) and Hybrid Electric Distributed Propulsion (HEDP) could potentially increase the efficiency with which the aircraft executes TAO. With the propulsors distributed across the wing, either on top, on bottom, or embedded within the wing itself, TeDP and HEDP readily enables the use of powered lift. This paper will outline the benefits TeDP/HEDP brings to short field performance and TAO, along with describing the development of a tool to properly analyze them. The tool is capable of analyzing TAO for aircraft containing hybrid propulsion systems and powered lift, and was further refined and developed under an effort funded by AFRL and NASA Ames. The baseline vehicles upon which TeDP/HEDP assessments will be conducted include ESAero’s Dual-Use Military Vehicle. This vehicle, developed during a previous effort with NASA Ames, utilizes conventional “warm” electric machinery rather than superconducting components.