Danilo Ciliberti

Assistant Professor - (July 2019 - today)

• Investigation of new aeronautical propulsion systems, aircraft configurations, enabling technologies. Development of new preliminary design methodologies focused on such innovations. Validation of the design methods with high-fidelity numerical analyses and wind tunnel tests.
• Development of a MATLAB module for a design chain to include the effects of distributed propulsion, aero-propulsive interactions, and hybrid-electric powertrain systems to generalize the aircraft design process.
• Detailed model design, software development, experiments planning, execution, and post-processing of a wind tunnel test campaign of a wing with flap, distributed propulsion, and wingtip propeller. The activity included: high-lift propellers and wingtip propeller design, analysis, and testing; development of a data acquisition and motors' control software with LabVIEW.
• Collaboration with ISAE/SUPAERO (Tolouse, France) on the benchmarking of numerical aerodynamic software with increasing fidelity (from VLM to RANS) to assess their capability in predicting the aero-propulsive interactions due to distributed propulsion.
• Research on the enabling technologies for a quasi-zero emissions commuter aircraft type: propulsion, aerodynamics, structures, and their interactions (e.g., distributed propulsion, boundary layer ingestion, strut-braced wing, structural batteries, etc.)
• Lecturer of the Maneuvers and Stability Course, a module of the Flight Mechanics Course (B.Sc.) with more than 50 hours of lessons per year.
• Tutoring of the students of the Aircraft Performance Course (a module of the Flight Mechanics Course, B.Sc.) and of the Aircraft Design Course (M.Sc.), with an average of 20 hours per year.
• Member of the examination commission for the Flight Mechanics Course (B.Sc.) and Aircraft Design Course (M.Sc.)
• Supervisor of more than 10 B.Sc. and M.Sc. theses, since 2013.

Post-doc Researcher - (July 2016 - June 2019)

• Research in applied aerodynamics: semi-empirical (literature and customized methods), numerical (mesh generation, high-performance computing grid, RANS CFD, post-processing), and experimental analyses (wind tunnel testing).
• Parametric CFD RANS analyses on a typical regional transport aircraft vertical tail with rudder, developing an aerodynamic database to evaluate directional control derivative and rudder efficiency over a large number of typical planforms.
• Design and wind tunnel testing of a vertical tail modular model with rudder to investigate aerodynamic interference and directional control surface effectiveness at several sideslip angles.
• Design of an internal, modular, 6-components, strain-gage aerodynamic balance for wind tunnel testing.

Ph.D. Student - (April 2013 - March 2016)

• Improved preliminary design methodologies for aircraft directional stability prediction and vertical tailplane sizing.
• Development of methodologies for aerodynamic characteristics prediction and preliminary design of the regional turboprop aircraft category. Evaluation of aerodynamic interference among aircraft components on the static directional stability and control.
• Design and wind tunnel testing of an aircraft modular model to validate the numerical approach. Lateral-directional wind tunnel tests on hundreds of aircraft configurations to directly measure the vertical tail aerodynamic force and evaluate aerodynamic interference. Longitudinal tests on dozens of aircraft configurations to evaluate the downwash gradient.
• on the effects of dorsal fin shape and size on aircraft directional stability and control at high angles of sideslip.
• Parametric RANS CFD simulations and application of semi-empirical methods to support design of a new regional turboprop aircraft for Alenia Aermacchi (now Leonardo company). Aerodynamic drag prediction of fuselage and wing-body junction (karman). High-lift and aerodynamic loads prediction.
• Supported my research group to mesh generation and CFD analyses for the evaluation of the directional stability and control characteristics of the ATR-42 aircraft with modified rudder/tab configurations.

CFD Engineer (October 2012 - April 2013)

Internship (December 2011 - July 2012)

Internship (April 2008 - July 2009)