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Most of the structural components of an airplane are made of metallic materials. An aluminum alloy is used on most metallic components, because it is relatively light weight. Remember, the lighter the plane, the farther it can fly, or the less fuel it will need. Yet, aluminum is strong enough to carry heavy loads. Steel is used for a smaller number of components that are exposed to heavy loads. Landing gears, engine fittings, and the tracks that the flaps move along are usually made of steel. Since aluminum and steel tend to lose their strength at high temperatures, titanium is used around engines, for firewalls and hot ducts.
More and more, composite materials are being used for some components.
Composite materials (two or more materials bonded together) are made of
fibers of boron or graphite embedded in a layer of epoxy (glue). The
strength along the fibers is very, very large, but is not very high
across them. Most composite materials then, are created by layering the
thin sheets with the fibers alternating directions. The resulting
material is very strong in all directions. These materials are very
light and stiff. They help reduce the weight of the airplane
structure. Unfortunately, the cost is very expensive, and it takes a
lot of experience to build a composite properly. As more of these parts
are made the experience level will go up and the cost will go down.
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