A Study of Commuter Aircraft Design

Commuter airlines have generally demonstrated excellent growth in recent years. This growth has been accomplished mainly with aircraft that have evolved from larger general aviation aircraft or specially designed utility aircraft. None reflect a configuration optimized for the current type of passenger service early in the vehicle definition phase. This paper investigates the impact of configuration considerations, mission requirements, and performance constraints on conceptual commuter aircraft designs. Emphasis is placed on direct comparisons between turbofan and turboprop powered aircraft in the 10–30 passenger class. The analysis is accomplished using a computerized aircraft synthesis model that simulates the aircraft design and mission. The resulting conceptual aircraft are similar in size and performance regardless of engine type but the turboprop offers more mission flexibility.