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Aluminum alloys have been the primary material of choice for structural components of aircraft since about 1930. Although polymer matrix composites are being used extensively in high-performance military aircraft and are being specified for the major structural weight of the new Boeing 787 and Airbus A350, aluminum alloys will continue to be used for many commercial and military applications. Well-known performance characteristics, known fabrication costs, design experience and established manufacturing methods and facilities, and their use in hybrid structures are just a few of the reasons for the continued confidence in aluminum alloys that will ensure their use in significant quantities for many years. There have been major advances in aluminum aircraft alloys that continue to keep them in a competitive position. In the early years aluminum alloys were developed by trial and error, but over the past 40 years there have been significant advances in our understanding of the relationships among composition, processing, microstructural characteristics and properties. This knowledge base has led to improvements in properties that are important to aircraft applications. This chapter covers the factors that drive development of new aircraft materials, performance and property requirements for airframe components, and describes aluminum alloys and product forms which meet these requirements. It also discusses the structure–property relationships of aluminum aircraft alloys. Finally, technologies under development for future aircraft are discussed. |
