This is neat, but... "Modeling typically begins by importing a .jpg file of a target plane’s top and side views."
Seems like an odd approach to aircraft design, at least it does from a structural perspective. Sounds like more of a reverse engineering tool. Or maybe it makes sense for use with conceptual aero/cfd models to fill in the rest?
I've designed nose tetherings for 747's (Boeing doesn't recommend, but they have information for it) and that's about as close to aircraft design I've come... done a bunch of hangars, pavements, elevated loading gates, etc... I'd likely over design the aircraft so badly that it would never fly, anyway...
I figured, since it came from NASA, that there would be some relevance... but, I honestly don't know what's involved with aircraft design.
No offense intended. Its a good post and a neat program.
I'm just wondering why NASA is using tax dollars to create what basically looks like a reverse engineering tool. To my eyes, this would be a great tool for someone in a developing economy to scab together knockoffs of popular small aircraft. On the other hand, it could be pretty useful for home builders as well.
"I'm just wondering why NASA is using tax dollars to create what basically looks like a reverse engineering tool. To my eyes, this would be a great tool for someone in a developing economy to scab together knockoffs of popular small aircraft. On the other hand, it could be pretty useful for home builders as well. "
How many great aircraft have started on a napkin, or from a sketch.
My A/C design course included lots of looking at 3 views of other A/C.
Raymer's Aircraft design, a conceptual approach has a few examples, config is roughed out in sketches. I'm sure a scanned sketch is not the only way to start a model in there as well.
