On the Realization of Credible Simulations in Aircraft Development : Efficient and Independent Validation Enabled by Automation

Abstract: Designing modern aircraft is not an easy task. Today, it is not enough to optimize aircraft subsystems at a subsystem level. Instead, a holistic approach is necessary whereby the constituent subsystems need to be designed for the best joint performance. The State-of-the-Art (SotA) in simulating and ex-changing simulation models is moving forward at a fast pace. As such, the feasible use of simulation models has increased and additional benefits can be exploited, such as analyzing coupled subsystems in simulators. Furthermore, if aircraft subsystem simulation models are to be utilized to their fullest extent, open-source tooling and the use of open standards, interoperability between domain specific modeling tools, alongside efficient and automated processes for model Verification and Validation (V&V) and credibility assessment are required.The financial and safety related risks associated with aircraft development and operation require well founded design and operational decisions. If those decisions are to be founded upon information provided by models and simulators, then the credibility of that information needs to be assessed and communicated. Today, the large number of sensors available in modern aircraft enable model validation and credibility assessment on a different scale than what has been possible up to this point. This thesis aims to identify and address challenges to allow for automated, independent, and objective methods of integrating subsystem models into simulators while assessing and conveying the constituent models aggregated credibility.The results of the work include a proposed method for presenting the individual models’ aggregated credibility in a simulator. As the communicated credibility of simulators here relies on the credibility of each included model, the assembly procedure itself cannot introduce unknown discrepancies with respect to the System of Interest (SoI). Available methods for the management, distribution, and accurate simulation of coupled models are therefore exploited and tailored to the applications of aircraft development under consideration. Finally, a framework for automated model validation is outlined and established that supports both on-line and on-line simulator credibility assessment.