Major Components of an Aircraft
Robert N Hudson
November 3, 2014
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
Through over a hundred years of aviation history it is absolutely a marvel to see how far we have come since the first flight at Kitty Hawk, NC in 1903. Imagine taking Orville and Wilbur, the Wright Brothers through a guided tour of a Boeing 787. Introducing to them the capabilities of such a phenomenon, and how one can essentially live out of this Dreamliner. What would they say about the ideas of using composite material over other metals, or converting to more electric driven components? Although many characteristics and jobs of these aircrafts have changed over the years, many of the ingredients of flight have still stayed the same. One must overcome the weight of the aircraft whether we are talking about a 750 pound 1903 Wright Flyer, or an 870,000 pound Boeing 747-400, to achieve lift. This is done partially through thrust, one of the necessary attributes for an aircraft to overcome the weight, and there are a number of ways this is achieved. We will keep it simple and compare just two basics, a prop engine, and the jet engine. Not only is it amazing to see the immense changes in aircrafts in over a hundred years, but also the employment opportunities that the aviation industry has brought into our economy. Whether we are talking about the pilots who fly the airplanes, or all the way down to the design phase, employment opportunities are plentiful within this field. One thing that cannot change regardless of the job within aviation is aviation professionalism. Attention to detail and doing things by the book every time is an absolute necessity to ensure all lives and equipment make it home safely. I would like to convey how all of this is made possible and the major components of aircrafts in this age. We will be comparing two dramatically different aircrafts, the Cessna Turbo 182 and the F-117 Nighthawk. For the first aircraft we are looking into the major components of a Cessna Turbo 182. A much less complex design than the compared F-117 Nighthawk, and dramatically different performance levels. Designers have to initially find a way to integrate components so that the aircraft may pitch, roll, and yaw. For anyone unfamiliar with what those terms mean, they are the basic movements an airplane make during flight. Pitch is the upward to downward movement about the lateral axis. Roll is the left to right movement about the longitudinal axis. Lastly but not least is yaw, which is the left to right movement about the vertical axis. Ailerons located on wings take care of the rolling left or right. Elevators located on the rear horizontal stabilizer control the pitching upward or downward. Finally, the yawing movement is taken care of by the rudder located on the rear stabilizer. As we spoke about before, thrust is one very necessary component for an aircraft to achieve lift, and on the Cessna Turbo 182 this is done through the power plant. Its power plant consists of a ( ) Turbo Prop engine capable of producing 235 horsepower and helping the aircraft achieve top speeds of 168 knots. For the Cessna the engine (power plant) is located at the front of the aircraft on the nose. Power plants are not always found at the nose of the aircraft, they can be anywhere from the wings, nose, vertical stabilizer, or the aft side of the empennage. The flights that aircrafts take today are much longer, go through a number of different weather conditions, and terrains, so pilots need a way to help in navigating over long distances. Finally, how does the pilot maneuver the plane while on the ground? Landing gear helps maneuver the plane while on the ground until in flight, and assists the aircraft in coming back to the ground smoothly. There are a number of different types of landing gear suitable for different environment’s, and the Cessna 182 is a prime example of an aircraft that utilizes different types of landing gear.
