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Hot Air Balloon
In 1783 were inveted the hot ait ballon, The hot air balloon consists of three parts: envelope, basket, and burner system. -
The Glider
The glider was developed and flown for the year 1804 by Sir George Caley. Modern aeroplane design is based on those discoveries and on the importance of cambered wings, this glider was made of wood and fabric. -
Flyer 1 (Wright Brothers)
In 1903 the Wright Brothers built their successful powered airplane, the structure of the Flyer 1 was composed of wood, fabric and some steel cable. -
The world’s first mono-wing by Louis Bleriot.
In 1909, Frenchman Louis Bleriot produced an aircraft with notable design differences. He built a successful mono-wing aircraft. The wings were still supported by wires, but a mast extending above the fuselage enabled the wings to be supported from above, as well as underneath. This made possible the extended wing length needed to lift an aircraft with a single set of wings. Bleriot used a Pratt truss-type fuselage frame. -
The Junkers J-1
More powerful engines were developed and airframe structures changed to take advantage of the benefits. In 1910, the German Hugo Junkers was able to build an aircraft with metal truss construction and metal skin due to the availability of stronger powerplants to thrust the plane forward and into the sky. The use of metal instead of wood for the primary structure eliminated the need for external wing braces and wires. His J-1 also had a single set of wings (a monoplane) instead of a stacked set. -
Period: to
World War 1
In World War I, aircraft were typically stacked-wing fabriccovered aircraft. -
Construction of fuselages
Truss-type designs faded. A tendency toward cleaner monowing designs prevailed. -
All-metal aircraft
Larger semi monocoque fuselages were complimented with stress-skin wing designs. Fewer truss and fabric aircraft were built. World War II (WWII) brought about a myriad of aircraft designs using all metal technology. Deep fuel-carrying wings were the norm, but the desire for higher flight speeds prompted the development of thin-winged aircraft in which fuel was carried in the fuselage. -
Semi Monocoque
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The first composite structure aircraft
he De Havilland Mosquito, used a balsa wood sandwich material in the construction of the fuselage. The fiberglass radome was also developed during this period. (The Wooden Wonder) -
Starts of the modern aircraft structures
Refinements to the all-metal semi monocoque fuselage structure were made to increase strength and combat metal fatigue caused by the pressurization-depressurization cycle. Rounded windows and door openings were developed to avoid weak areas where cracks could form. Integrally machined copper alloy aluminum skin resisted cracking and allowed thicker skin and controlled tapering. Chemical milling of wing skin structures provided great strength and smooth high performance surfaces. -
Air Liners Structures
The use of honeycomb constructed panels in Boeing’s airline series saved weight while not compromising strength. Initially, aluminum core with aluminum or fiberglass skin sandwich panels were used on wing panels, flight control surfaces, cabin floor boards, and other applications. -
Aircraft Structures (1970)
A steady increase in the use of honeycomb and foam core sandwich components and a wide variety of composite materials characterizes the state of aviation structures from the 1970s to the present. -
2000s
Advanced techniques and material combinations have resulted in a gradual shift from aluminum to carbon fiber and other strong, lightweight materials. These new materials are engineered to meet specific performance requirements for various components on the aircraft. Many airframe structures are made of more than 50 percent advanced composites, with some airframes approaching 100 percent. -
Boeing 787 Dreamliner (2009 to present)
The Boeing 787 aircraft is 80% composite by volume. By weight, the material contents is 50% composite, 20% aluminum, 15% titanium, 10% steel, and 5% other. Aluminum is used for the wing and tail leading edges; titanium is used mainly on engines and fasteners, with steel used in various areas. It first flight was in 2009 -
Future of Aircraft Structures
It is possible that noncomposite aluminum aircraft structures will become obsolete as did the methods and materials of construction used by Cayley, Lilienthal, and the Wright Brothers.