Weight Optimization Of Empennage Of Light Weight Aircraft

Abstract The objective of the research is to optimize the empennage of a light weight aircraft such as Zenith aircraft. The case is specified by a unique set of geometry materials and strength-to-weight factors. The anticipated loads associated with the empennage structure are based on previous light aircraft design loads. These loads are applied on the model to analyze the structural behavior considering the materials having high strength-to-weight ratio. The 3D modeling of the empennage is designed using PRO-E tools and FEA analysis especially the structural analysis was done using ANSYS software to validate the empennage model. The analysis shall reveal the behavior of the structure under applied load conditions for both the optimized structure and existing model. The results obtained using the software are attempted to validate by hand calculations using various weight estimation methods.