Fighter Aircraft Power Plant Model
A complete generic turbofan engine simulation for military fighter aircraft, designed to be customized for any specific engine model of the same class. Built from mathematical models through to production-grade C/C++ implementation.
Overview
During my employment at Amel Group, I was responsible for simulating a military fighter aircraft power plant (turbofan engine). I created a complete generic turbofan engine model that could be customized to match any specific engine model of the same class. During the design phase, the model was verified and all the parameters were tuned by creating a complete simulation on Matlab/Simulink. The design was implemented and debugged using C/C++ via Microsoft Visual Studio. The model was exhaustively tested through a series of detailed planned unit tests. Afterwards, the power plant system was integrated with the rest of the aircraft systems and was approved through rigorous integration testing.
Key Highlights
Model Design
Generic turbofan engine model customizable to match any specific engine of the same class
Matlab/Simulink
Complete simulation for design verification and parameter tuning
C/C++ Implementation
Production code implemented and debugged in Microsoft Visual Studio
Rigorous Testing
Exhaustive unit testing followed by full integration testing with aircraft systems
System Architecture
The power plant system encompasses the complete engine control and monitoring chain — from the DEEC module and fuel control to cockpit indicators, malfunction detection, and integration with the electrical, hydraulic, and fuel systems.
Simulink Model
The complete engine model was first built and validated in Matlab/Simulink, allowing for rapid iteration on parameters and verification against known engine performance data before C/C++ implementation.
Engine Reference
The model is based on a low-bypass-ratio mixed-flow turbofan engine architecture typical of modern fighter aircraft, covering all major modules from fan intake through the afterburner section.
