Aircraft Economics in an Era of Import Substitution

Abstract

Approaches to assessing the economics of airships in an era of import substitution are considered. Existing approaches take no account of customer requirements. Most available methods simply formalize expert evaluations and are subjective. The economic analysis of passenger aircraft must be based on the assessment of investment projects. Indices used to assess long-term investment projects include the net present value, the profitability, the payback period, and the modified internal rate of return. An integrated model of the life cycle costs consisting of several components is considered. Factors analyzed include the costs over the aircraft’s life, direct operational costs, and maintenance and repair costs. The role of information technologies at the current stage of aircraft development is discussed. A model of the interaction of participants in the aircraft life cycle is considered. Planning and cost management for the aircraft life cycle are studied. Constant iterative processes involving the exchange of information between manufacturers, operators, and aviation authorities generate integrated requirements for the production of competitive aircraft. In improving aircraft performance, such requirements must be taken into account in the early stages of design.