As one of the departments in School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering in Beihang University, the Department of Aircraft Design (formerly the Aircraft Design Institute) is committed to both undergraduate and graduate teaching tasks as well as research tasks in the area of aeronautic engineering, especially in aircraft design and research. It has established most solid foundations of educational and scientific research schemes through more than fifty years of development.
The department was founded in 1952 as the first department of the university by merging some related majors in aerospace engineering from several famous universities in China, such as Tsinghua University, etc. It has made prominent contributions to the development of national aerospace industry during the past decades both in education and research, and has honor to be one of the first batch of disciplines admitted by Ministry of Education of China which has the authority to grant master and PhD degrees, as well as one of the first batch of National Postdoctoral Research Stations.
Every year, the department undertakes or participates in the research tasks from many funding and projects, including National ‘863’ & ‘973’ High-tech Plans, national flight vehicle prototype, advance research foundation and National Natural Science Foundations. It has developed Chinese first light civil airplane named ‘Beijing-1’, Chinese first high-altitude and high-speed unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and Chinese first co-axial helicopter.
In addition, the research groups have won more than one hundred science or technology awards in national and provincial levels. Through the efforts of several generations, the discipline of Aeronautic and Astronautic Science and Technology is placed No.1 in the national ‘Top Level Course’ ranking.
The department is proud of its faculties, including 2 Chang Jiang Scholars, 17 professors, 13 PhD supervisors, and 11 Associate Professors. Among them, 35 teachers have PhD degrees.
The department has many research and teaching facilities distributed in Beijing Aerospace Museum, Aviation Innovation and Practice Laboratory, Aircraft Structures Exhibition Room, Flight Simulator Room, Stealth Technology Center, and Helicopter Research Laboratory etc.
Department Features:
1) Splendent Tradition
Since 1950s, it has formedaneminent tradition and accumulated rich experience in academic researchandengineering practice. The department has enjoyed a good reputation in China aviation and aerospace fields. Undergraduate and graduate students are widely welcomed by China industry and research institutes. The department has a group of famous teachers. Many excellent courses such as ‘Introduction to Aeronautics and Astronautics’ and “Conceptual Design of Flight Vehicle’ are welcomed by students.
2) Comprehensive Research
The research covers the fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles, rockets, hypersonic flight vehicles etc. It has formed a comprehensive and stabledisciplinary framework which is of prominent aeronautical research features.
3) Excellent Faculties
Two professors have been the Chief Scientists of the developing National Laboratory of Aeronautics and Astronautics. There is also a group of senior research professors engaged in the areas of aeroelasticity, advanced composite structure design, structural optimization, helicopter design and so on.
4) Advanced Aeronautic Engineering Education
The department has Aviation Innovation and Practice Laboratory exploring new concepts and methods for aviation education, which is funded by Ministry of Education of China and National Defense Science and Technology Industry Bureau of China, and supported by the joint of three main institutes of aircraft research and design in China. The Aviation Innovation and Practice Lab has improved the quality of personal training. The graduated students who attended programs in the lab have been well recognized and praised by the employers. The students in this lab have won many champions in China National Aeromodelling Design Competition.
The department also possesses one of the first batch of aviation museums in China. The museum has a great impact in the society.
Institutes and Laboratories:
1) Near-Space Flight Vehicle Research Institute
2) Aeroelasticity Research Laboratory
3) Aircraft Research Laboratory
3) Helicopter Research Institute
4) Light Airplane Research Laboratory
5) Aviation Innovation and Practice Laboratory
6) Aircraft Structure and Strength Laboratory
7) Aircraft Design and Aerodynamics Laboratory
8) Composite Technology Laboratory
9) Education Center for Aeronautic and Astronautic Experiment
10) Beijing Aerospace Museum
Main Research Directions:
1) Aircraft Conceptual/Preliminary Design
Aircraft development strategy
Airworthiness design
Aerodynamic layout and general arrangement
Digital design and innovative design theory
Stealth integrated design
Multidisciplinary design optimization
Operational effectiveness evaluation and simulation
Micro air vehicle design
New concept aircraft design
2) Structure Synthesis Design
Advanced aircraft structural design and optimization
Design and analysis of structural damage tolerance and durability
Aeroelastic design, control and verification
Advanced composite structure design
Composite structure strength, stiffness and fatigue
Integrated design and test of intelligent structure
Design and test of active control undercarriage
3) Prototype Development
Co-axial helicopter
Unmanned aerial vehicle
Unmanned helicopter
Prototype and engineering platform research, system integration and verification for near space flight vehicle
Research and development of key technology in tilt rotor aircraft and general aviation aircraft design.
Current Directors:
Chair: Prof. Jun Huang (junh@china.com)
Vice Chair in Science and Research: Prof. Zhiqiang Wan (wzq@buaa.edu.cn)
Vice Chair in Graduate Students Education: Prof. Hu Liu (liuhu@buaa.edu.cn)
Vice Chair in Undergraduate Students Education: Prof. Jikui Zhang (zjk@buaa.edu.cn)
Address and Phone Number:
Address: C1101, New Main Building, Beihang University, 100191, Beijing, P.R China
Tel：8610-82317501
