A Framework For Evaluating the Operating Cost Implications of Operational Changes and New Aircraft Concepts
Name
cort-kcort-sm-aeroastro-thesis-2026.pdf
Size
5.85 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
33c07aa6a5f56114b156e34fd9e754d8
Author(s)
Cort, Keith L.
Advisor(s)
Hansman, R. John
Date Issued
May 2026
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Aircraft operating cost is a primary metric used to evaluate performance and inform decisions related to aircraft design and operations. However, it is inherently dependent on how an aircraft is used, making consistent evaluation across varying conditions challenging. This thesis developed the Cash Airplane-Related Operating Cost (CAROC) model to evaluate the direct cash expenses required to operate an aircraft, considering operational changes and aircraft designs. The model decomposes operating cost into energy, hourly, per-cycle, and per-distance components, enabling a structured representation of how costs are incurred and how they respond to changes in operations and aircraft technology. The CAROC model was applied across a range of case studies, including the evaluation of operational constraints and trajectory inefficiencies for current aircraft and operations, as well as the assessment of future aircraft concepts under scenario-based energy assumptions, demonstrating its ability to capture how changes in routing, operating conditions, and technology propagate through different cost components. Overall, the model provides a consistent and flexible approach for evaluating operating costs at the flight level and supports direct comparison of operational strategies and aircraft concepts under varying conditions.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
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