Case Study: COMAC (Shanghai Aircraft Design & Research Institute) achieves robust electromagnetic protection and rapid antenna/EMC analysis with Altair FEKO

Application of FEKO in EM Protection Design from Electromagnetic Environmental Effects of Civil Aircraft

COMAC’s Shanghai Aircraft Design and Research Institute, responsible for the ARJ21 and C919 programs, faced growing electromagnetic-environment challenges from dozens of airborne radios—limited antenna placement space, antenna pattern distortion, inter-antenna EMC and high‑intensity radiated fields (HIRF) that can induce equipment failures and compromise airworthiness. To address the need for comprehensive EM protection design and faster troubleshooting, they adopted Altair’s FEKO electromagnetic simulation software.

Using Altair’s FEKO solvers (Method of Moments, MLFMM, Physical Optics and Geometrical Optics) the team modeled aircraft structures, antennas, cable runs and compartment interiors to study antenna placement/isolation, front‑door coupling, HIRF and EMC. FEKO simulations identified a flight‑control computer radiating −60 dBm at 125 MHz as a VHF interference source and predicted VHF receiver loss that testing confirmed; it also revealed DME antenna pattern depressions that explained discontinuous reception and led to corrective measures. Altair’s FEKO thus guided design choices, reduced flight‑test troubleshooting, resolved specific interference cases and improved aircraft EM safety and reliability.

COMAC

Dai Jigang

Senior Engineer