Search citation statements
Paper Sections
Citation Types
Year Published
Publication Types
Relationship
Authors
Journals
This article is intended to introduce an alternative approach to comparative analyses between innovative aeronautical technologies and established state-of-the-art references. Commonly, the tendency is to use a ‘like-for-like’ comparative approach with respect to current technologies -defined as reference benchmarks- that is, to evaluate the possible incremental improvements that can be achieved by introducing a specific technological innovation. However, when innovations that potentially introduce step improvements or new functions compared to the state of the art are evaluated, typically referred to as ‘breakthrough’, this approach may not be the most formally sound one, and it may introduce bias and misjudgements. In the field of aircraft design, using the same top-level requirements and figures of merit as those used for conventional aircraft to initialise and steer the design of unconventional configurations, could undermine the exploitation of their operating and functional potential. The soundness of the comparative approach is of paramount importance, especially in the very early stages of the development of disruptive technologies and unconventional aircraft configurations. In this paper, with the supporting example of the application of the box-wing configuration to medium-range transport aircraft, a general discussion is offered on the necessity of leaving aside the ‘like-for-like’ benchmark approach when investigating the potential of disruptive aircraft innovations. This argumentation does not only refer to the case study proposed as an example, but is generally extendable to aeronautical innovations that may introduce operating and functional novelties compared to current technologies.
This article is intended to introduce an alternative approach to comparative analyses between innovative aeronautical technologies and established state-of-the-art references. Commonly, the tendency is to use a ‘like-for-like’ comparative approach with respect to current technologies -defined as reference benchmarks- that is, to evaluate the possible incremental improvements that can be achieved by introducing a specific technological innovation. However, when innovations that potentially introduce step improvements or new functions compared to the state of the art are evaluated, typically referred to as ‘breakthrough’, this approach may not be the most formally sound one, and it may introduce bias and misjudgements. In the field of aircraft design, using the same top-level requirements and figures of merit as those used for conventional aircraft to initialise and steer the design of unconventional configurations, could undermine the exploitation of their operating and functional potential. The soundness of the comparative approach is of paramount importance, especially in the very early stages of the development of disruptive technologies and unconventional aircraft configurations. In this paper, with the supporting example of the application of the box-wing configuration to medium-range transport aircraft, a general discussion is offered on the necessity of leaving aside the ‘like-for-like’ benchmark approach when investigating the potential of disruptive aircraft innovations. This argumentation does not only refer to the case study proposed as an example, but is generally extendable to aeronautical innovations that may introduce operating and functional novelties compared to current technologies.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.