Impact of computational fluid dynamics in aircraft design

The application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to the design of commercial transport aircraft has revolutionized the process of aerodynamic design. Today, CFD stands alongside the wind tunnel in terms of importance. The wind tunnel and CFD each have strengths and limitations, and when used together in complementary roles they enable the achievement of aerodynamic design objectives that previously were not achievable. This paper describes today's role of CFD in airplane design and gives a number of specific examples that illustrate the impact of CFD. It also summarizes the limitations of CFD and describes the challenges of the future.