Basic Information about AIRFRAME

By: Aaron Rudric M. Ventura

What is an Airframe?
It is the bones and skin of every aircraft. All major parts of an aircraft except its powerplant are parts of an airframe (in helicopters, rotors are part of its airframe but propellers in airplanes do not)

Evolution of the Airframe

1903 Wright Flyer
The first powered, heavier-than-the-air aircraft to achieve controlled, sustained flight with pilot aboard U.S. Smithsonian Institution Design by the Wright Brothers Made of Wood and Fabric

Evolution of Airframe
1915 Junkers J 1
Worlds first practical all metal aircraft Designed by Hugo Junkers of Junkers and Co. Pioneered the sleek aerodynamic design in an aircraft (which is still use today)

Evolution of the Airframe

1975 Rutan VariEze
Canard type aircraft made of Composite Material Designed by Burt Rutan Pioneered the moldless glass-reinforeced plastic construction in homebuilt aircraft

Materials Use in Making Airframe

Wood And Fabric
Used from 1903 until 1915 First materials use in making Airframes (wood for trusses, fabric for skins and some metal wires for bracing and controls)

Materials Use in Making Airframe

Aluminum
The most common materials use by Aircraft Manufacturers Lighter than steel but strong enough to withstand resisting forces Stronger than wood and fabric

Materials Use in Making Airframe

Composite Materials
Designed by engineers to be lighter than aluminum but stronger than steel Carbon/Graphite Fiber, Aramid (Kevlar) and Fiber glass are the most common Composite material use in Aviation Industry

Design Use in Making Airframe

Truss Type
Made of either wood or welded steel tubes bridge like design Comprises of one or more triangular units with straight member whos ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes

Design Use in Making Airframe

Truss Type

Design Use in Making Airframe

Geodesic Construction
Designed by Barnes Wallis Compose of spirally crossing basket-weave of load bearing members The principle is that two geodesic arcs can be drawn to intersect on a curving surface (the fuselage) in a manner that the torsional loads on each cancels out that on the other.

Design Use in Making Airframe

Geodesic Construction

Design Use in Making Airframe

Monocoque
Also called stressed skin or structural skin a structural approach that supports loads through an object's external skin, similar to a pingpong ball or egg shell. The word monocoque comes from the Greek for single (mono) and French for shell (coque)

Design Use in Making Airframe

Monocoque

Design Use in Making Airframe

Semi Monocoque
A much stronger design than Monocoque Has added parts for strenghtening reason First, a series of frames in the shape of the fuselage cross sections are held in position on a rigid fixtures. These frames are then joined with lightweight longitudinal elements called stringers. These are in turn covered with a skin of sheet aluminum, attached by Riveting or by bonding with special adhesives.

Design Use in Making Airframe

Semi - Monocoque

Thank You
Life is a continuous studying process; everyday, you learn something new that can change how you live.