What is it about?
This paper provides a method for accelerating product development in order to deliver an eighty percent solution that provides best value to the aircraft operator and the greatest return to the manufacturer. This method of comparing value to cost can also be used to develop a proposal strategy and price to win.
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Why is it important?
During the first century of flight, the focus of aircraft design has been on increasing performance, with cost and schedule dependent on the desired performance. However, performance has a price. Addressing the changing economic, energy, environmental and security demands during this next century of flight will require changing the way aircraft are designed: technical innovation must be achieved with cost and schedule as independent variables and real constraints.
Perspectives
Norm Augustine famously predicted that before the end of this century, "the entire defense budget will purchase just one tactical aircraft." It has been difficult for aircraft designers to calculate when an aircraft is good enough, and so to stop improving it. According to the Law of Diminishing Returns, at some point further improvements provide little benefit but are very expensive. I believe that the key to preventing the cost of aircraft from escalating as predicted is to deliver an eighty percent solution that is on the ramp, performing its mission.
Dr Paul M Bevilaqua
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Aircraft Design for Best Value, January 2016, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/6.2016-1999.
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