The most important element in the design of the aircraft is the fuselage. In this short article, we will figure out what the fuselage is, how it works and what it is intended for.
General information
The fuselage of an aircraft is its body, the body on which wings, landing gear and plumage are attached. The main purpose of this element is to accommodate the equipment of the aircraft, its crew, cargo, passengers or weapons. The fuselage can also accommodate fuel tanks and a power plant.
Types of aircraft body:
- Single storey.
- Two-story.
- Flat-body.
- Widebody.
- Narrow body.
Appearance
The most successful body shape is the asymmetric body of rotation. It has smooth tapers in the nose and tail sections, which allows minimizing the surface area without losing the overall dimensions of the structure. Consequently, the mass of the fuselage is reduced and the air resistance during flight is reduced.
Circular section of the body of revolution is necessary when exposed to the internal pressure of pressurized cabins. Nevertheless, when laying out aircraft, designers have to deviate from the ideal form due to the needinstallation of cabin lights (windshield), air intakes, avionics antenna and other elements.
Design
What is the fuselage, we found out, now we will find out how it works. The hull consists of longitudinal (spars and stringers) and transverse (frames) power elements and thin-walled skin. Reducing the load on the body of the apparatus is achieved by reducing its weight. In civil aviation, the skin is most often made of duralumin, and in the military - of composite materials. The power frame provides satisfactory indicators of simplicity, reliability, survivability and accessibility for fuselage maintenance.
Requirements for the fuselage
Speaking about what a fuselage is, it is worth noting that it is the building basis of each aircraft and its supporting element. An extensive list of requirements is put forward for him:
- Shape that minimizes wind resistance during flight.
- Hull providing up to 40% lift.
- Rational use of internal volume.
- Convenient equipment layout for trouble-free operation and trouble-free maintenance.
Fuselage loads
Main loads that act on the fuselage:
- Gravity from attaching wings, landing gear, empennage and propulsion units.
- Aerodynamic forces acting on the entire body during flight.
- Inertial forces of units and equipment, as well as the total weight of the structure.
- Excessive pressure in pressurized compartments: saloons, cockpit and air intake ducts.
Here you and I found out what an aircraft fuselage is.
