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 is designed and what it is intended for.
General information
The aircraft fuselage is its body, body, on which the wings, landing gear and plumage are attached. The main purpose of this element is to place the equipment of the aircraft, its crew, cargo, passengers or weapons. Also in the fuselage can accommodate fuel tanks and a power plant.
Types of aircraft hulls:
- One story.
- Double decker.
- Flat body.
- Widebody.
- Narrow-bodied.
Appearance
The most successful form of the body is an asymmetric body of revolution. It has smooth tapering in the bow and tail, which minimizes the surface area without losing the dimensions of the structure. Therefore, the mass of the fuselage is reduced and air resistance during flight is reduced.
A round section of the body of revolution is necessary when exposed to internal pressure of sealed cabs. Nevertheless, when arranging aircraft, designers have to deviate from their ideal shape due to the need to install cabin lights (windshield), air intakes, on-board electronic equipment antennas and other elements.
Design
What is the fuselage, we found out, now we find out how it works. The housing consists of longitudinal (spars and stringers) and transverse (frames) power elements and thin-walled sheathing. Reducing the load on the apparatus is achieved by reducing its weight. In civil aviation, the skin is most often made of duralumin, and in military - from composite materials. The power cage provides satisfactory indicators of simplicity, reliability, survivability and accessibility for servicing the fuselage.
Fuselage requirements
Speaking about what the fuselage is, it is worth noting that it is the construction basis of each aircraft and its supporting element. An extensive list of requirements is advanced to it:
- A form that minimizes wind drag during flight.
- Housing providing up to 40% lift.
- Rational use of internal volume.
- Convenient layout of equipment, ensuring its uninterrupted operation and unhindered service.
Fuselage Loads
The main loads that act on the fuselage:
- Gravity from the attachment of wings, landing gear, plumage and power plants.
- Aerodynamic forces acting on the entire body during flight.
- Inertial forces of units and equipment, as well as the total weight of the structure.
- Overpressure in pressurized compartments: salons, cab and air intake ducts.
So we have learned what the fuselage of an airplane is.