Aircraft Data Hierarchy

   [A]
 ┌──┴──┐
[D]   [H]

A Model-Based Systems Analysis & Engineering (MBSA&E) Framework for Standardised Aerospace Data Exchange

Based on NASA/CR-20250007045

Overview

The Aircraft Data Hierarchy (ADH) is an open, standards-aligned, model-based data framework designed to unify Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and Model-Based Systems Analysis (MBSA). It provides a centralised, authoritative, and validatable structure for representing aircraft architecture, requirements, performance, and behavior.

The ADH addresses long-standing aerospace challenges: fragmented data, tool-specific silos, inconsistent representations, and inefficient cross-disciplinary integration. By defining a recursive, hierarchical, standards-aligned schema, the ADH enables seamless data exchange across engineering disciplines, tools, and organisations.

Key Features

• Standards-Aligned Architecture

  Built on MSoSA, MIL-STD-881F, SAWE RP A-8, and ANSI/AIAA-S-119-2011.

• Unified MBSE + MBSA Data Model

  A recursive structure linking Architecture → Requirements → Performance → Behavior.

• Centralised Authoritative Data Source

  Eliminates duplication, reduces interfaces, and supports digital thread continuity.

• Modern Python Implementation

  Implemented using Pydantic v2 with built-in validation and multi-format serialisation (JSON, YAML, XML).

• Flexible & Extensible

  Supports diverse aircraft configurations, fidelity levels, and evolving design methodologies.

• Interoperable by Design

  Vendor-neutral, open-source, and demonstrated compatibility with NASA's MBSA&E framework, OpenMDAO, Aviary, and MBSE tools such as MagicDraw/Cameo.

Architecture

The ADH is organised into:

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

  • Based on MIL-STD-881F, adapted for aircraft systems.
  • Provides the top-level decomposition of the air vehicle.

• Model-Based System-of-Systems Architecture (MSoSA)

  Each WBS element contains four recursive views:

  View	Purpose
  Architecture	Geometry, topology, interfaces, configuration
  Requirements	Constraints, standards, verification criteria
  Performance	Quantitative metrics, analysis results
  Behavior	Dynamic, logical, and functional behavior

• Principle of Similar Treatment

  Similar components (e.g., lifting surfaces, axial bodies, propulsion elements) share consistent data structures.

• Dictionary of Aliases

  Short, human-friendly paths for accessing deeply nested data objects.

The source code is organised into:

.
├── src
│   └── adh
│       ├── core
│       │   │   # custom pydantic base models based on MSoSA
│       │   ├── architecture.py
│       │   ├── requirements.py
│       │   ├── performance.py
│       │   ├── behavior.py
│       │   └── units.py
│       └── wbs
│           │   # data objects
│           ├── airframe
│           ├── propulsion
│           ├── systems
│           └── equipment
└── tests
    ├── unit
    │   ├── test_core
    │   └── test_wbs
    └── functional

ADH File Format

{
  "aircraft_system": {
    "wbs_no": "1.0",
    "metadata": {
      // name, description, creation info, version, etc.
    },
    "architecture": {
      // parameters;
      // geometry
    },
    "requirements": {
      // name and text; or
      // name, description and value
    },
    "performance": {
      // discipline and parameters
    },
    "behavior": {
      //
    }
  }
}

Citation

Engelbeck, R. M., Ocampo, E., Gablonsky, J., Shi, M., Wakayama, S., Carrere, A., Plybon, R., Refford, M., Mokotoff, P., Bakhshi, S., Kerlee, A., Cinar, G., & Martins, J. (2025). Model-Based Systems Analysis and Engineering: Aircraft Data Hierarchy (NASA/CR-20250007045). https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20250007045

@report{engelbeckModelBasedSystemsAnalysis2025,
  title = {Model-{{Based Systems Analysis}} and {{Engineering}}: {{Aircraft Data Hierarchy}}},
  shorttitle = {{{MBSA}}\&{{E}}: {{ADH}}},
  author = {Engelbeck, Ranald M. and Ocampo, Eduardo and Gablonsky, Joerg and Shi, Mingxuan and Wakayama, Sean and Carrere, Alexander and Plybon, Ronald and Refford, Melinda and Mokotoff, Paul and Bakhshi, Safa and Kerlee, Alex and Cinar, Gokcin and Martins, Joaquim},
  date = {2025-08-01},
  number = {NASA/CR-20250007045},
  url = {https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20250007045},
  keywords = {ADH},
}