During the last five decades, the load case “aircraft impact” changed constantly with regard to the definition of the threat, the applied analysis methods, and the required checks; particularly in the analysis of concrete structures in the nuclear sector. On the one hand, the load case was extended from military aircrafts to commercial aircrafts and on the other hand, the rapid development of computer hardware allowed more and more complex numerical simulations with detailed modelling of aircraft and building structure in a coupled analysis. Keeping this development in mind, as well as additional confidential aspects, increasing authorities’ requirements and the lack of detailed normative guidelines, these kinds of specialized analyses can only be performed with deep knowledge not only of the general aspects of the aircraft impact load cases but also of the complex numerical modelling and simulation of these situations. This article is the first part of a two-part publication. In terms of content, the two publications focus on the two overarching topics that need to be considered in a typical aircraft impact assessment: on the one hand, the aspects of modeling and structural analysis and, on the other, the assessment of vibrations and the design of mitigation measures. The first part of this paper covers critical modeling aspects within the scope of a coupled structural analysis as well as aspects of assessing the structural damage. For this, this paper summarizes some of the main issues regarding the actual state-of-the-art Aircraft Impact Analysis (AIA) and points out the most discussed topics with focus on numerical modelling aspects in coupled dynamic AIA simulations. One of the main conclusions for a state-of-the-art Aircraft Impact Analysis (AIA) is the recommendation of a detailed numerical aircraft model or at least of the center wing box and the attached wings and a coupled dynamic simulation with the impacted structure. With regard to the introduced shear forces, this approach is the only one that allows for the necessary detailed analysis of local impact effects and ultimately leads to a comprehensive assessment of the structural resistance. In the second part of this publication, Wörndle and Borsutzky (planned to be published), the aspects of assessment criteria regarding induced vibrations are discussed, supplemented by examples of mitigation methods.