Metals that are used to make airplanes include aluminum, steel and titanium. Aircraft manufacturers choose to build aircraft with these materials because they are strong enough to hold up under the stresses of flight but lightweight enough to allow the aircraft to lift off the ground.Continue Reading
Aluminum is sought after because it is abundant, fairly easy to obtain and very light. It's also strong, resists corrosion and conducts both heat and electricity well. Alloys of aluminum are the primary metals that are used to build airplanes. Aluminum is alloyed with other metals like copper, magnesium and zinc to make it even stronger.
Steel is iron that's alloyed with carbon and other metals to make it stronger and help the iron in the alloy become more resistant to rust.
Titanium is also an abundant metal, but it is hard to access. Still, it is prized because it is at least as strong as steel and much stronger than aluminum. Titanium is lightweight, resists corrosion, is easy to work with and is considered inert, which means that it is not reactive. It is alloyed with metals like aluminum, iron, manganese and molybdenum to make both the frame of the airplane and its engines.Learn more about Airplanes & Helicopters