headshot

Yu Cai

Research Engineer II
Propulsion and Energy Division

Dr. Yu Cai has been working as a Research Engineer II at the Georgia Tech Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory since 2023. He earned his Ph.D. degree in May 2023 from Georgia Tech School of Aerospace Engineering. His work primarily focuses on overall aircraft design, mission analysis, electrified aircraft propulsion, secondary power subsystem modeling, and multi-disciplinary analysis and optimization.

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Aerospace Engineering, 2023, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA

  • Master of Science (M.S.), Computational Science and Engineering, 2022, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA

  • Master of Science (M.S.), Aerospace Engineering, 2017, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA

  • Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Aerospace Engineering, 2015, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA

  • Systems Analysis Support for the Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) Program

    Task lead, 2020 – present, sponsored by NASA

  • Alternative Design Configurations to meet Future Demand (ASCENT Project 64)

    Technical contributor, 2023 – present, sponsored by FAA

  • Novel Aircraft Energy Considerations

    Technical contributor, 2023 – present, sponsored by SAFRAN

  • Performance Assessment of a Turboelectric Commuter Airliner Concept

    Graduate research assisstant, 2020, sponsored by Ampaire

  • Formulation, Development, and Implementation of MBSE Enabled Processes for Aircraft Design

    Graduate research assisstant, 2017 – 2020, sponsored by Airbus

  • System-Level Assessment of Active Flow Control for Commercial Aircraft Vertical Tail and High-Lift Devices

    Graduate research assisstant, 2015 – 2018, sponsored by Boeing

Thesis

Cai, Y., “Multi-mission sizing and analysis framework for aircraft and subsystem architectures with electrified propulsion systems,” Ph.D. Dissertation, School of Aerospace Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 2023. https://hdl.handle.net/1853/72049

Peer-reviewed Journal Articles

  1. Xie, J., Cai, Y., Sarojini, D., Harrison, E. D., & Mavris, D. N. (2023). Certification-Constrained Vertical Tail Sizing and Power Split Optimization for Distributed Electric Propulsion Aircraft. Journal of Aircraft, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C037239

  2. Cinar, G., Cai, Y., Bendarkar, M. V., Burrell, A. I., Denney, R. K., & Mavris, D. N. (2023). System analysis and design space exploration of regional aircraft with electrified powertrains. Journal of Aircraft, 60(2), 382-409. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036919

  3. Cai, Y., Rajaram, D., & Mavris, D. N. (2022). Simultaneous aircraft sizing and multi-objective optimization considering off-design mission performance during early design. Aerospace Science and Technology, 126, 107662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2022.107662

  4. Xie, J., Sarojini, D., Cai, Y., Corman, J. A., & Mavris, D. N. (2022). Certification-Driven Platform for Multidisciplinary Design Space Exploration in Airframe Preliminary Design. Journal of Aircraft, 59(2), 329-349. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036328

  5. Bendarkar, M. V., Rajaram, D., Cai, Y., & Mavris, D. N. (2022). Optimal Paths for Progressive Aircraft Subsystem Electrification in Early Design. Journal of Aircraft, 59(1), 219-232. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C036085

  6. Rajaram, D., Cai, Y., Chakraborty, I., & Mavris, D. N. (2018). Integrated sizing and optimization of aircraft and subsystem architectures in early design. Journal of Aircraft, 55(5), 1942-1954. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C034661

  7. Cai, Y., Gao, Z., Chakraborty, I., Briceno, S., & Mavris, D. N. (2018). System-level assessment of active flow control for commercial aircraft high-lift devices. Journal of Aircraft, 55(3), 1200-1216. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.C034401

  8. Cai, Y., Gao, Z., Chakraborty, I., Briceno, S., & Mavris, D. (2017). Parametric Approach to Assessing Performance of High-Lift Device Active Flow Control Architectures. Aerospace, 4(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace4010006

Conference Proceedings

  1. Cai, Y., Xie, J., Brooks, J., Gladin, J. C., & Mavris, D. N. (2023). System-Level Design Space Exploration of a Parallel Hybrid Propulsion System for a Regional Short Takeoff and Landing Turboprop Aircraft. In AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum (p. 4503). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-4503

  2. Xie, J., Bendarkar, M. V., Cai, Y., & Mavris, D. N. (2023). Revisiting “Critical-Engine-Inoperative” Conditions for Distributed Hybrid-Electric Aircraft. In AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum (p. 3608). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-3608

  3. Cai, Y., Pastra, C. L., Xie, J., Thind, J. K., Monjon, M. M., Gladin, J. C., & Mavris, D. N. (2023). System-level Trade Study of Hybrid Parallel Propulsion Architectures on Future Regional and Thin Haul Turboprop Aircraft. In AIAA SCITECH 2023 Forum (p. 0838). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-0838

  4. Xie, J., Cai, Y., Sarojini, D., Harrison, E., & Mavris, D. N. (2022). Vertical Tail Sizing and Power Split Optimization for the PEGASUS Concept Considering Certification Requirements. In AIAA AVIATION 2022 Forum (p. 3204). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2022-3204

  5. Cai, Y., Xie, J., Cinar, G., & Mavris, D. N. (2022, June). Advanced 2030 turboprop aircraft modeling for the electrified powertrain flight demonstration program. In 2022 IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference & Expo (ITEC) (pp. 664-669). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ITEC53557.2022.9813858

  6. Cinar, G., Cai, Y., Denney, R. K., & Mavris, D. N. (2022, June). Modeling and Simulation of a Parallel Hybrid Electric Regional Aircraft for the Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) Program. In 2022 IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference & Expo (ITEC) (pp. 670-675). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ITEC53557.2022.9813832

  7. Cinar, G., Cai, Y., Bendarkar, M. V., Burrell, A. I., Denney, R. K., & Mavris, D. N. (2022). System Analysis and Design Space Exploration of Regional Aircraft with Electrified Powertrains. In AIAA SCITECH 2022 Forum (p. 1994). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2022-1994

  8. Xie, J., Cai, Y., Chen, M., & Mavris, D. (2021). A Multi-Fidelity Aerodynamic Analysis Method for Transonic Transport Aircraft Conceptual Design and Mission Analysis. In AIAA Aviation 2021 Forum (p. 2433). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-2433

  9. Cai, Y., Xie, J., Harrison, E., & Mavris, D. (2021). Assessment of Longitudinal Stability-and-Control Characteristics of Hybrid Wing Body Aircraft in Conceptual Design. In AIAA AVIATION 2021 FORUM (p. 2448). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-2448

  10. Karagoz, F., Bagdatli, B., Cai, Y., & Mavris, D. N. (2021). Interactive Model-based Environment for Aircraft Family Conceptual Design Decisions. In AIAA Scitech 2021 Forum (p. 0092). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-0092

  11. Sarojini, D., Xie, J., Cai, Y., Corman, J. A., & Mavris, D. (2020). A certification-driven platform for multidisciplinary design space exploration in airframe early preliminary design. In AIAA Aviation 2020 Forum (p. 3157). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-3157

  12. Shi, M., Cai, Y., Gladin, J. C., & Mavris, D. N. (2020). A Multi-Design Point Sizing Methodology for Environmental Control Systems. In AIAA Scitech 2020 Forum (p. 0013). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2020-0013

  13. Cai, Y., Rajaram, D., & Mavris, D. N. (2019). Multi-mission multi-objective optimization in commercial aircraft conceptual design. In AIAA Aviation 2019 Forum (p. 3577). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2019-3577

  14. Xie, J., Cai, Y., Chen, M., & Mavris, D. N. (2019). Integrated sizing and optimization of hybrid wing body aircraft in conceptual design. In AIAA Aviation 2019 Forum (p. 2885). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2019-2885

  15. Bendarkar, M. V., Rajaram, D., Cai, Y., Briceno, S. I., & Mavris, D. N. (2019). Evaluating Optimal Paths for Aircraft Subsystem Electrification in Early Design. In AIAA Aviation 2019 Forum (p. 2802). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2019-2802

  16. Cinar, G., Cai, Y., Chakraborty, I., & Mavris, D. N. (2018). Sizing and optimization of novel general aviation vehicles and propulsion system architectures. In 2018 Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference (p. 3974). https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2018-3974

  17. Cai, Y., Chakraborty, I., & Mavris, D. N. (2018). Integrated assessment of vehicle-level performance of novel aircraft concepts and subsystem architectures in early design. In 2018 AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting (p. 1741). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2018-1741

  18. Shi, M., Chakraborty, I., Cai, Y., Tai, J. C., & Mavris, D. N. (2018). Mission-Level Study of Integrated Gas Turbine and Environmental Control System Architectures. In 2018 AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting (p. 1751). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2018-1751

  19. Rajaram, D., Cai, Y., Puranik, T. G., Chakraborty, I., & Mavris, D. N. (2017). Integrated Sizing and Multi-objective Optimization of Aircraft and Subsystem Architectures in Early Design. In 17th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference (p. 3067). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2017-3067

  20. Cai, Y., Gao, Z., Chakraborty, I., Briceno, S. I., & Mavris, D. N. (2017). System-Level Assessment of Active Flow Control for Commercial Aircraft High-Lift Devices. In 55th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting (p. 1627). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2017-1627

  21. Hiller, B., Cai, Y., Karagoz, E., Wilhelms, C., Chakraborty, I., Briceno, S. I., Collins, K., & Mavris, D. (2016). Framework for Assessing Impact of Active Flow Control Technologies for Commercial Aircraft. In 16th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference (p. 3283). https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2016-3283