Aeronautical Engineering
A Primer to Aircraft
Structure and Design:
Project Lead the Way
- A Discussion on Career
Potential and Opportunities
Western Hills HS
Basic Aircraft
Structure
Design
(What Are the Five Major Parts of an
Airplane?)
“Fixed Wing” aircraft are generally of similar design:
The Five Major components include the power plant (engine /
propeller or jet propulsion), wing, tail (empennage), body
(fuselage), & landing gear (fixed or retractable)
The body or Fuselage section includes the cabin (or cockpit) where pilot (aircrew) and
passengers sit; where cargo is carried and may include fuel tanks; this is also the key
structure for the attachment of the other four major aircraft components
- Early fuselages were made of dope-covered cloth attached to wood runners over
bulkheads forming frames which in time was followed by aluminum framing or tubing
welded in triangular shapes called trusses. Aircraft development has evolved to a
common design known today as the monocoque (or semi-monocoque) fuselage
construction pictured below (monocoque is a French word for shell).
- - The goal is to achieve light weight with great strength for stresses caused in flight
which is to be sustained throughout the operational life-time of the airframe
Note that many terms we use for aircraft parts come from French language
- France taught us to fly combat in World War One (1917 is when we entered WWI as
an Ally to the British and France)
Be it a 50 year-plus old B-52 or a 25 year-old F-16 in (in
formation with a vintage 70 year old P-47 of WWII) or a
20 year-old C-130H - we build our aircraft to last!
If they last long enough, however, military aircraft end up here…but not usually
because of a design deficiency--------------------------------------------------------------
(Davis-Montham AFB, Tucson, AZ Aircraft “Boneyard”)
Learning Check Question
CPS Question 1
Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Aircraft are fragile and not meant
to last very long.
1. True
2. False
The first major component off
the fuselage is the wing which
is structurally designed with
spars, ribs and stringers
- Wings usually contain fuel tanks
• One of the three major flight controls is
found on the trailing edge toward the
outer half of the wing
• Aileron
• Create aerodynamic forces by the
pilot’s left/right movement of a control
stick or yoke which cause the aircraft to
roll around it’s longitudinal axis
• One of the two secondary flight controls
is found on the inner portion of the
trailing edge of the wing
•Flap
• Often referred to as a high-lift device,
the flaps create additional lift for the
wing at lower speeds encountered
during take-off and landings which
provide greater stability to the airplane
at slower speeds
• An adverse effect of creating
greater lift is increased drag
• Advanced High Performance Aircraft
(i.e., jet fighters like the F-35)---------
have a combination of the flap and
aileron in one aerodynamic control
• Flaperon
The next major component of
the airplane is the
Empennage or “tail” section
There are two major surfaces on the Empennage
critical to an airplane’s stability and control in
flight:
• Vertical Stabilizer
• Incorporating the second of the three flight
controls – the rudder
•Horizontal Stabilizer
•Incorporating the third flight control – the
elevator
•Also there is at least one additional secondary
flight control in the tail section found in ALL
aircraft- the elevator trim tab
•There may also be a rudder trim tab in larger
aircraft although most light aircraft have a rudder
trim tab that is factory pre-set and not pilot
controlled (i.e., like the Cessna 152/172)
•Trim tabs help balance air-flow across the flight
control’s surface so the pilot does not have to
exert continual force to keep an airplane in a
constant level phase of flight based on the
airplane’s air-speed
•Another design incorporates the horizontal
stabilizer and elevator into one overall surface
which moves--------------------------------------------
•The Stabilator
•A much more efficient design on
supersonic aircraft (like this F-16)
The next major component is the Landing Gear System – the principle
method of support when on the ground while parked, taxiing and taking off
or landing. Although wheels are the most common landing gear feature there may also be floats for water operations or even skis for snow
operations…but if they retract, what MUST the pilot do BEFORE landing?
AIRCRAFT HAVE FIXED OR RETRACTABLE
LANDING GEAR SYSTEMS
The final major component is the powerplant –
where the airplane gets its power or “thrust”
Propeller & Engine
Jet propulsion (& turbo-prop)
Simple Quiz
Chapter 1, Lesson 3
Which of the following is NOT one of the FIVE
Primary parts of an airplane?
a) Engine or Powerplant System
b) Wings
c) Empennage (Horizontal and Vertical
Stabilizer)
d) Landing Gear System (the wheels)
e) Rotor
f) Fuselage
Review: The Five Major Components of an Airplane
It is critical to understand how an airplane is designed to further understand how the three primary flight controls, aided by
secondary flight controls allow a pilot to control the airplane through the four forces of flight.
Notice that two of the major five parts have other key parts attached: the three primary flight controls1) Aileron (Roll/Longitudinal Axis) - WINGS
2) Rudder (Yaw/Vertical Axis) – Vertical Stabilizer on EMPENNAGE
3) Elevator (Pitch/Lateral Axis) – Horizontal Stabilizer – also EMPENNAGE
All of the components of the airplane come together by this design to be employed to produce or counter the Four key aerodynamic forces
of thrust and drag as well as lift and weight created during all phases of flight.
In PLTW AE Next Year You will definitely launch you on…
What Future Awaits in Aviation Careers
Regardless of what the airplane is
designed for the basic goal is to FLY!
The pilot of his or her
Airplane…
Knows Why & How!
Questions???