Composites and its Application in Aerospace Vehicles

All of us may have flown a balloon, its easy, just blow some air into it, it floats. But how can we make a piece of metal fly? Do you know an average passenger plane weighs around 10 tons (1,00,000 kilograms). Then how does an airplane fly? 

Video Credits: Spirit AeroSystems: Where Flight Begins

In aviation there are two categories of aircraft 

1) Lighter than air aircraft and 

2) Heavier than air aircraft.

A lighter than air aircraft undergoes flight similar to balloon or by gliding. What about heavier than air aircraft?

 Heavier than air aircraft uses its large wings and highly powerful engines to attain high velocities to generate lift. Weight of the aircraft is directly proportional to cost, difficulty and power.i.e the higher the weight of an aircraft the higher the cost and complication in engineering and flying it.

How to reduce an aircraft’s weight?

Weight reduction has been a major field of interest in the aerospace industry. Of all the proposed solutions, using composites provide significant result in terms of weight reduction. Do you know, by using composites the weight of an aircraft can be reduced up to 50 percent. This means less cost and complication. 

What is a composite?

A composite is a combination of two or more materials with different physical and chemical properties. Normally composites aren’t made of metals. Composites show immense amount of structural strength which is a key factor in aerospace industry.

Video Credits: The Boeing Company & MDx media

Even whole aircraft are being produced from composite materials. Many of structural components such as wings, rotors and tail portions are made up of composites. Composites are used because of their high strength to weight ratio. Carbon fibre is a composite which is commonly used. Next time you see an aircraft do remember what it’s made of.