Im building an airplane, what should i use?

Question

Im building an airframe for an airplane, what should i use for the material?

Answer 1

Rag and tube (chrom-moly steel and fabric covering) is light and versatile. You need to learn to weld. Really well.

Composite ("fiberglass") airplanes tend to be faster because of their smooth shapes. They also are the most expensive kits because of the large pre-formed pieces from the kit manufacturer.

Ones made from sheet aluminum often require you drive a LOT of rivets - like 8000 or so. Some designs call for pulled rivets (they're NOT "pop rivets" but they install similarly). Aluminum airframes have the best survival in a crash - the metal absorbs energy as it deforms. Building from scratch means you need to bend and form metal. Many kits have already "only" need to put it all together.

Wooden airframes are usually easiest to build from scratch. Many people are already familiar with wood working and the tools are relative cheap. A parts of the airframe is then covered in very thin plywood and most areas are covered with fabric (traditionally cotton but now mostly heat-shring polyester fabric).

Most important than the particular material is what you want the plane to do: Low and slow flightseeing? Short take-off and landing (STOL) to get in and out of little airstrips? A faster cruiser to cover longer distances? A heavy hauler to move stuff or people from place to place? An acrobatic plane that does nothing else well? A little of everything (then it's probably going to be an Van's RV-8, RV-9, etc).

And do you want to build from scratch? A few thousand dollars plus engine and 3000 hours over a decade. Or from a kit? $15,000 plus engine and 500-1000 hours? Or a fast-built kit? Pay the factory more for guidance as you work on-site but maybe finish in a few months.

Once you have your airframe and wings done, you've only got about 80% of the project left to do. Engine, avionics, uplhostery, paint, a hundred little details, paperwork, etc.

The absolutely obvious thing to do is join the experimental aircraft association - EAA (www.eaa.org) and go to local meetings and read their publications. Thousands have done this already. Learn from them. And while most of them are old, fat, (mostly) straight white guys, don't be put off by that. Almost all of them would be more thrilled about a young person interested in aviation than they might be put off by an alternative lifestyle.

Answer 2

You should use whatever material the plans call for. If you don't have plans then I assume you don't have plans to fly it either.

I have seen airframes constructed from aluminum, wood, steel and fiberglass and many combinations of each. The skin of the aircraft can be fabric, aluminum, wood or fiberglass. Aircraft design is moving more towards laminated materials, like fiberglass, carbon fiber, carbon carbon, aluminum ply, honeycomb ply, etc. It really depends on how much money you want to spend.

I saw a movie recently where some guy built an airplane out of junk. At the end of the movie he flew it, but in reality it would not have flown without the help of big helicopter lifting it from above.

Answer 3

You want to get a hold of aircraft grade aluminum. Which it would be hard for you to get a hold of, because A) it is very expensive, B) you probably have no place to hold it. Second, it if you bought the stuff you would have to mill it, drill it, sand blast it and coat it. Basically what we do at Vought Aircraft. It would be much better for you to go and buy a kit plans. One that has all the parts, and materials you need, and not worry about what material.

Answer 4

Composite materials are the lightest stongest materials to use but you had better be well versed on the construction method. Build lightness in the structure and make sure to test prior to sticking your crazy butt in it! Build models first to test your design and don't believe things scale up in a linear fashion!... OR WOOD! the Wrights and A. S. Dumont built wood and fabric planes that flew, and wood is really a composite designed by nature.

Answer 5

Please don't attempt to get in this airplane and fly it yourself... you sound like you have no idea what your doing. If you're building a model, that's cool... have a blast but please don't try to build the real thing.

I'll answer your question anyway. You want a material that's light but really strong. If you're building a model, balsa wood is a really good choice... its super light and strong enough. They've used balsa on planes back when they were made out of wood.

Aluminum is the choice most airplane manufacturers use nowadays.

Answer 6

Big logs they fly the best... If you have to ask you will never pass the inspection you need in order to have it certified for flight.You need to get a hold of some planes an buld your airplane the right way

Answer 7

I'm very impressed with you adventure, I'm working on my pilot's certificate and checked into the kits they sell on line. All the one that looked like feasible designs used carbon fiber for all the obvious advantages it offers.

If your really planning on building you own I would suggest looking a kit. Do a Internet search for "experimental aircraft kits". Good luck.

Answer 8

Sticks and stones, lol. I don't know. Just remember the "Three Little Pigs" story, so don't use hay and there was something about a wolf.

Answer 9

Aircraft grade spruce.

Answer 10

Bricks

if you don't know the answer then don't build the thing !