airframes
Planes without engines
The structural components of an aircraft—fuselage, wings, tail assembly—excluding engines, avionics, and other systems.
In aviation maintenance and manufacturing, airframe refers to everything that gives the aircraft its shape and bears aerodynamic loads: The airframe showed no signs of metal fatigue.
Airframe hours measure how long a plane's structure has been in service, distinct from engine hours.
Aircraft's central structure
- monocoqueSelf-supporting outer structure
- sparNautical support beam
- ribCurved chest bone
- bulkheadInternal vessel barrier
longeron · stringer · skin · truss · strut · keel · firewall · nacelle
Completely holding one's attention
- weldingHeat-fusing metal pieces
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- assemblyConstructing from components
- jigSpirited folk dance
tooling · fasteners · countersink · bonding · layup · autoclave · sealing · painting
Mechanism for vertical transport
- dragResistance through fluid
- streamlineRemove unnecessary elements
- vortexRotating fluid column
- camberDesigned surface curvature
chord · sweep · dihedral · anhedral · fairing · fillet · leading-edge · slipstream
Made of distinct parts
- titaniumElement twenty-two
- honeycombWax matrix of hexagons
- fiberglassReinforced woven strand composite
- magnesiumAlkaline earth metal
chromoly · sheet-metal · laminate · cured · bonded · clad · anodized · heat-treated
fuselage
Aircraft's central structure
bulkhead · longeron · stringer · skin · truss · strut · keel · firewall · nacelle · skeleton
riveting
Completely holding one's attention
- weldingHeat-fusing metal pieces
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- assemblyConstructing from components
jig · tooling · fasteners · countersink · bonding · layup · autoclave · sealing · painting · blueprint
lift
Mechanism for vertical transport
- dragResistance through fluid
- streamlineRemove unnecessary elements
- vortexRotating fluid column
camber · chord · sweep · dihedral · anhedral · fairing · fillet · leading-edge · slipstream
composite
Made of distinct parts
- titaniumElement twenty-two
- honeycombWax matrix of hexagons
- fiberglassReinforced woven strand composite
magnesium · chromoly · sheet-metal · laminate · cured · bonded · clad · anodized · heat-treated
fatigue
Weariness from prolonged exertion
- aerospaceairplane, helicopter, rocket, rockets, spacecraft
- aircraft manufacturingfuselage, final assembly, assembly line, avionics, landing gear
- spacecraftspacecraft, starships, spaceship, Voyager 1, rocket ships
- military aviationbombers, fighter jets, stealth, drones, fighters
airframespropulsion systems
Mechanisms generating directional thrust
powerplants · engines · avionics · jet engines · turbines