Biggest aircraft in the world is built with aluminum-magnesium alloy

Before the covid , aviation sector was one of the fastest growing sector globally in terms of both passenger and cargo traffic. The demands for metals used in aviation industry are expected to increase.

Airbus A380 super sized aircraft structure 61% is made of over 60% aluminum alloys, 22% in composites, 10% in titanium steel alloy and 3% in fiber metal laminate.

The Airbus A380 super alloy contains aluminum, titanium, magnesium and copper. The new alloys of aluminum and magnesium are the future of the industry.

 If aluminum alloys are replaced by magnesium alloys, it will translate to a 60385 kg (~60.4t) reduction and if it is replaced by 50% by magnesium alloys, it will translate to 30192kg (~30.2 t) reduction. Similar calculations can be made for replacing Fiberglass composites and fiber metal laminates which are heavier than magnesium.

Airbus A380 is the world’s largest ever passenger plane. Travelling at speeds of over 700 mph. Greener, cleaner, quieter and smarter, the A380 is setting a new standard for the global aviation industry with its superior efficiency, profitability and operational effectiveness.

Not only is it setting new passenger comfort standards, the A380 also is raising the bar for environmental standards with its low fuel consumption and noise levels – as well as reduced CO2 and NOx emissions.

By incorporating the latest advances in structures and materials, the A380 offers the lowest cost per seat of any wide-body aircraft, over 15% lower than its nearest competitor. This includes the use of advanced aluminium alloys for the wing and fuselage, along with the extensive application of composite materials in the centre wing box’s primary structure, wing ribs, and rear fuselage section.

The A380 also uses Glare? material in the pressurised fuselage’s upper and lateral shells. Glare? is a laminate incorporating alternate layers of aluminium alloy and glass fibre reinforced adhesive, with its properties optimised by adjusting the number of plies and orientation of the glass tapes. This offers a significant reduction in weight and provides advanced fatigue and damage resistance characteristics.

Efficiency and reliability : Two new-generation engine options (the Engine Alliance GP7200 and Rolls-Royce’s Trent 900) – combined with an advanced wing and landing gear design – make the A380 significantly quieter the other large airliners – enabling Airbus’ very large aircraft to meet strict local regulations at airports around the world.

With a new wing design and composite materials accounting for 25% of its structural weight, the A380 is an all-around efficient aircraft. By producing only about 75 grams of CO2 per passenger kilometre, the A380 is helping the aviation industry's commitment to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.

The A380’s reliability and maintainability are further increased with modern technology, including an enhanced onboard central maintenance system and variable frequency generators – which simplify the large aircraft’s electrical generation network. Hydraulic power is provided by two fully independent systems with an operating pressure of 5,000 psi., instead of the conventional 3,000 psi.

This ability to handle higher pressures results in smaller and lighter hydraulic system equipment, as well as less hydraulic fluid on board, proving how Airbus innovations continue to deliver efficiency in every area of aircraft design and manufacture.

Throughout the cabin, LED lights provide the most energy efficient lighting solution. These can be controlled to mimic different scenes, or moods, such as sunset and sunrise, to help prevent fatigue among passengers, helping with the changing time zones.

There is a unprecedented interest globally in magnesium, as sources of sustainable supply for metal, new batteries , significantly lighter alloys and so many other products. Magnesium will profoundly changed many industries.

Albanian Minerals has over 40 billion tons of best quality magnesium reserves. This marvelous green and environment friendly metal will change the world. Magnesium is the lightest of all metal elements and is primarily used in structural alloys due to its lightweight, strength, and resistance to corrosion. Alloys of magnesium have better heat resistance, more tensile strength.

A combination of light weight, high specific strength, and good castability makes magnesium alloys a very promising engineering material for the automotive, electronics, robots and aerospace industries. A significant increase in magnesium in the material structure of vehicles, trains, airplanes, flight vehicles, is to be expected.

In addition, magnesium alloys are 100 % recyclable and could become the sustainable standard for most portable electronic enclosures due to their availability. Apart from other consumer products such as cases or household items, magnesium alloys are also used in medical implants. Magnesium in the form of alloys offers great potential in numerous industries.

Magnesium is the next big thing in the 21st century. Engineers and scientists are making major discoveries toward lighter cars, trucks, trains, airplanes, home appliances, vessels, computers, sports gears by developing a way to expand the use of magnesium in parts. Using magnesium sheets to make parts is a significant breakthrough. Magnesium is 75 % lighter than steel. Researchers in Switzerland have developed a low cost magnesium battery for large energy storage systems in the electricity grid.

• Sahit Muja
• President and CEO
• Albanian Minerals
• New York