Using composite materials in aircraft

Abstract

Nowadays aerospace engineering is changing. Aeroplanes have usually been made out of metal - alloys of aluminium as a rule. However engineers are increasingly working with carbon fiber composites now. This is due to the fact that alloys do not offer substantial weight savings, which is a primary advantage of composites. Indeed, advanced composites have been used most widely where saving mass results in either significantly improved performance or significantly lower life-cycle costs. The most extensive application, therefore, has been in satellite systems, military aircraft, helicopters, commercial transport aircraft, and general aviation.