Aircraft Structure

Aircraft is a structure, on which all Aviation revolve around it. Aircraft is the main component of Aviation. Without aircraft there is nothing left behind Aviation. So, the structure of an Aircraft is also important for a healthier growing Aviation industry.

Aircraft structure is fundamental to any aircraft design. Aircraft structure provides the strength and rigidity to an aircraft to meet performance and design, according to structure.

Mainly an aircraft is consist of

• Fuselage
• Wings
• Power plant
• Empennage
• Landing gears

Fuselage:

Fuselage is the most important part of an Aircraft. Fuselage is further divided in Cockpit and Cabin. A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. An aircraft cabin is the section of an aircraft in which passengers travel. Other main parts of an Aircraft are attached to Fuselage.

In older times when aircraft were made by wooden material, there is not just material change but also the structure change.

 In those times Truss structure was common for a Fuselage. Truss structure was made up of a lot of struts and linkages, Vertical and horizontal struts are welded to the longerons and give the structure a square or rectangular shape when viewed from the end. Struts were used to make aircraft stronger but the disadvantage of this structure is its heavy load. Structure was too heavy so it cannot carry much weight.

With advancement in technology, Truss structures were replaced by Monocoque Structure. Monocoque structure is a single shell structure made up of Aluminum. The entire load is carried by Aircraft’s stressed skin. There is no load carrying internal frame and that is its disadvantage that its structure can deform and cannot bear outer pressure as it is hollow from inside.

Semi-monocoque Structure is a structure which is used in today’s era. It is used to make bigger and stronger aircraft. Semi-Monocoque is a Compressive structure made up of longerons, stringers and ribs frame. Semi-monocoque bear load, internal and outer pressure. Stringers, web of ribs and longerons make its structure stronger than simple single shell monocoque structure.

Wings:

Wings are the main part of aircraft, which provide lift to make aircraft aerodynamic. Wing is an airfoil which produces lifts with the Air flow. Aircraft with two sets of wings are known as Bi-plane and with one set of wings is called Mono-plane.

There are primary and secondary controls on aircraft wing which is described below:

·        Flaps

o  There are 5 types of Flaps, which increase lifting force.

·        Aileron

o  Create aerodynamic forces to roll an aircraft.

Not just controls wing’s structure is describe below,

Wing structure consists of:

• Ribs
• Spar
• Stringers
• Spar
• Wing flap
• Aileron
• Fuel tank
• Wing’s skin

There are numerous wing designs, sizes, and shapes used by the various manufacturers. Each ful?lls a certain need with respect to the expected performance for the particular airplane.

Power plant:

Power plant is the combination of Engine and propellers or a jet engine. In simple terms, an aircraft power plant is an engine. It is made up of many components, such as cylinders, pistons, and fans, which help produce the energy needed to propel an aircraft. The primary function of the engine is to provide the power to run the propeller.

Types of engines:

? Turbojets

? Turboprops

? Turbofans

? Turboshafts

? Ramjets

The engine is covered by Cowing or nacelle to streamline air flow. Propeller is mounted on the front of engine that is the rotating airfoil. Propellers produce thrust from aerodynamic action.

Empennage:

Empennage is also known as Aircraft tail part. It is consist of fixed wing surfaces horizontal Stabilizers and Vertical stabilizer and moveable devices Rudder, Elevators and trim tabs.

Rudder is attached to vertical stabilizer and elevators are attached to horizontal stabilizers.

The rudder is attached to the back of the vertical stabilizer. It is used to move the airplane’s nose left and right during ?ight. The elevator is attached to the back of the horizontal stabilizer. It is used to move the nose of the airplane up and down during ?ight. Trim tabs are small, movable devices of the trailing edge of the control surface. These movable trim tabs are controlled from the ?ight deck. They reduce control pressures. Trim tabs may be installed on the ailerons, the rudder or the elevator.

Landing gear:

Aircraft landing gear supports the entire weight of an aircraft. They are used for Take-off and Landing of an Aircraft. It supports the Aircraft on ground, during taxi, for moving an Aircraft.

There are two types of landing gear, nose wheel and tail wheel.

Aircraft having two main and one in front of nose is known as nose wheel or tricycle gear.

Aircraft having two main gears and one is mounted in rear side of aircraft is known as Tail landing gear or conventional landing gear.

These are the main parts of Aircraft, there are millions of primary and secondary parts involve in Aircraft structure which makes an aircraft efficient and proficient for all kinds of operations. Bigger the aircraft, bigger the aircraft structure and bigger the amount of parts used in it.

The engine is the heart of Aircraft but Pilot is its soul

 Walter Raleigh 

?Umer Shehzad