Structure of Jet Airliner
1. Fuselage
Description: The main body of the aircraft that houses the passengers, cargo, and crew.
Components:
Cockpit: Where pilots control the aircraft and manage its systems.
Cabin: Passenger area, including seating, storage, and amenities.
Cargo Hold: Space for luggage and cargo, usually located beneath the passenger cabin.
2. Wings
Description: Extend from either side of the fuselage and provide lift.
Components:
Wingbox: The main structural component of the wing that supports its load and houses fuel tanks.
Ailerons: Control surfaces at the trailing edge of the wings that manage roll.
Flaps: Located near the wing roots, these increase lift and drag during takeoff and landing.
Slats: Positioned on the leading edge of the wings, they improve airflow and lift at lower speeds.
3. Empennage (Tail Section)
Description: The tail of the aircraft, providing stability and control.
Components:
Vertical Stabilizer: The upright part of the tail, housing the rudder for controlling yaw.
Horizontal Stabilizer: The horizontal part of the tail, housing the elevators for controlling pitch.
4. Engines
Description: Provide thrust to propel the aircraft forward.
Components:
Nacelle: The housing that contains the engine and its components.
Fan: The front part of the engine that pulls in air.
Compressor: Compresses the incoming air.
Combustion Chamber: Where fuel is mixed with compressed air and ignited.
Turbine: Extracts energy from the hot gases to drive the compressor and fan.
Nozzle: Expels the exhaust gases to generate thrust.
5. Landing Gear
Description: Supports the aircraft on the ground and during takeoff and landing.
Components:
Main Gear: Located under the wings or fuselage, providing the primary support.
Nose Gear: Located at the front of the aircraft, aiding in steering and support.
Brakes: Installed on the main gear wheels to slow the aircraft after landing.
Shock Absorbers: Reduce the impact forces during landing.
6. Control Surfaces
Description: Allow pilots to control the aircraft’s attitude and direction.
Components:
Ailerons: Control roll by adjusting the lift on each wing.
Elevators: Control pitch by adjusting the angle of the horizontal stabilizer.
Rudder: Controls yaw by adjusting the angle of the vertical stabilizer.
7. Avionics
Description: Electronic systems used for navigation, communication, and flight control.
Components:
Flight Management System (FMS): Automates flight planning and navigation.
Autopilot: Assists in maintaining the aircraft's flight path.
Radar: Detects other aircraft, weather conditions, and terrain.
8. Fuel System
Description: Manages the storage and distribution of fuel.
Components:
Fuel Tanks: Usually located in the wings and fuselage.
Pumps and Valves: Control the flow of fuel to the engines.
9. Hydraulic System
Description: Provides power for various systems such as landing gear, flaps, and control surfaces.
Components:
Pumps: Generate hydraulic pressure.
Actuators: Move parts like landi
1. Fuselage
Description: The main body of the aircraft that houses the passengers, cargo, and crew.
Components:
Cockpit: Where pilots control the aircraft and manage its systems.
Cabin: Passenger area, including seating, storage, and amenities.
Cargo Hold: Space for luggage and cargo, usually located beneath the passenger cabin.
2. Wings
Description: Extend from either side of the fuselage and provide lift.
Components:
Wingbox: The main structural component of the wing that supports its load and houses fuel tanks.
Ailerons: Control surfaces at the trailing edge of the wings that manage roll.
Flaps: Located near the wing roots, these increase lift and drag during takeoff and landing.
Slats: Positioned on the leading edge of the wings, they improve airflow and lift at lower speeds.
3. Empennage (Tail Section)
Description: The tail of the aircraft, providing stability and control.
Components:
Vertical Stabilizer: The upright part of the tail, housing the rudder for controlling yaw.
Horizontal Stabilizer: The horizontal part of the tail, housing the elevators for controlling pitch.
4. Engines
Description: Provide thrust to propel the aircraft forward.
Components:
Nacelle: The housing that contains the engine and its components.
Fan: The front part of the engine that pulls in air.
Compressor: Compresses the incoming air.
Combustion Chamber: Where fuel is mixed with compressed air and ignited.
Turbine: Extracts energy from the hot gases to drive the compressor and fan.
Nozzle: Expels the exhaust gases to generate thrust.
5. Landing Gear
Description: Supports the aircraft on the ground and during takeoff and landing.
Components:
Main Gear: Located under the wings or fuselage, providing the primary support.
Nose Gear: Located at the front of the aircraft, aiding in steering and support.
Brakes: Installed on the main gear wheels to slow the aircraft after landing.
Shock Absorbers: Reduce the impact forces during landing.
6. Control Surfaces
Description: Allow pilots to control the aircraft’s attitude and direction.
Components:
Ailerons: Control roll by adjusting the lift on each wing.
Elevators: Control pitch by adjusting the angle of the horizontal stabilizer.
Rudder: Controls yaw by adjusting the angle of the vertical stabilizer.
7. Avionics
Description: Electronic systems used for navigation, communication, and flight control.
Components:
Flight Management System (FMS): Automates flight planning and navigation.
Autopilot: Assists in maintaining the aircraft's flight path.
Radar: Detects other aircraft, weather conditions, and terrain.
8. Fuel System
Description: Manages the storage and distribution of fuel.
Components:
Fuel Tanks: Usually located in the wings and fuselage.
Pumps and Valves: Control the flow of fuel to the engines.
9. Hydraulic System
Description: Provides power for various systems such as landing gear, flaps, and control surfaces.
Components:
Pumps: Generate hydraulic pressure.
Actuators: Move parts like landi
Category
🦄
CreativityTranscript
00:00Let's start with the airframe. Thousands of specially formed damage resistant
00:10panels are riveted or otherwise attached to a lightweight underlying base called
00:15the airframe. The panels and frame together make a very strong relatively
00:20lightweight craft. Many of these parts, especially the outer panels, are made
00:26from a carbon fiber reinforced material, though traditional aluminum and aluminum
00:31alloys are also used. Vertical frames underpin the cross-sectional tube shape
00:38connected by longerons that stretch from nose to tail, and in between these a vast
00:45network of stringers, intercostals, and sub frames. At the nose, the radome
00:53shields a weather radar antenna beneath, while allowing specific radio frequencies
00:59to pass through for proper functioning. A double-layered birdstrike barrier is
01:05situated behind that. Floor beams attach to frames and support the floor panels.
01:14Higher grade panels are used in high traffic areas and the cockpit or flight
01:20deck, with lower grade panels beneath passenger seating areas.
01:27Pressure bulkheads are reinforced metal barriers that separate pressurized from
01:32non-pressurized areas of the plane. Humans are accustomed to about 14 psi of
01:39air pressure. Passenger planes generally fly between 31 and 38,000 feet above sea
01:46level, where air pressure is a meager 4 psi or lower. As such, most sections of
01:54the airplane are pressurized while in flight. These areas include the flight
01:59deck and passenger areas, equipment bays, and cargo compartments. Unpressurized
02:05areas are the radome, landing gear bays, the center wing box, and the tail cone.
02:16The wings attach near the center of the aircraft. A center wing box ties wing
02:21frames together with the fuselage. The keel beam offers additional support.
02:29A wing-to-body fairing attaches to the keel beam and a pair of external
02:34longerons to enclose and further strengthen this critical wing attach
02:39point. Sturdy yet flexible spars stretch from the center wing box to the wing tip,
02:47one at the leading edge and one at the trailing edge of the wing. A pylon juts
02:55out from the wing frame to support the jet engine. Titanium links extend from
03:00the wing to the pylon, and tension bolts mate aluminum and titanium plates for an
03:06incredibly strong and flexible connection.
03:11Moving to the rear or aft of the plane, we see the vertical and horizontal
03:16stabilizers with their additional frame supports and the tail cone, which houses
03:24the auxiliary power unit, or APU.
03:31Windows. The windshields and side windows are made from three layers of chemically
03:38strengthened glass, covered with an anti-static coating.
03:46Cabin windows maintain the structural integrity of the fuselage with a thick
03:51outer pane made from acrylic. There's an additional protective acrylic pane on
03:57the passenger side, with a hole and an air gap for pressure and temperature
04:02equalization.
04:05Doors. There are passenger doors front and rear, with corresponding service
04:12doors on the starboard side. Cargo access doors are also on the starboard
04:19underside. Smaller overwing emergency doors are located just above each wing.
04:29Doors must be disarmed before opening, so the emergency slide will not deploy. An
04:35overpressure light, visible from the inside and outside the door, indicates
04:40whether the pressure differential would permit safe opening. A vent panel enables
04:47pressure equalization. Turning the interior latch handle allows the door to
04:53be opened. There's also an externally accessible door latch. The door rides on
05:03a hinge arm to swing out and away from the plane body, with stabilizer bars to
05:11guide its path.
05:18Wings and flight control surfaces. The wings generate lift for the aircraft.
05:26The main surfaces for flight control are the ailerons, elevators, and rudder. The
05:34ailerons generally function opposite one another to roll the plane. Elevators
05:42affect forward to back pitch, and the rudder controls yaw, or rotation around
05:49the vertical axis. The entire horizontal stabilizer, which the elevators are
05:58attached to, can be rotated to hold the plane at a particular attitude, and leave
06:04the elevators for finer adjustments. To achieve this, the stabilizer is attached
06:10to a motorized device that can move up or down a threaded rod.
06:18Secondary flight control surfaces assist these primary systems.
06:25On the wing, leading edge slats and trailing edge flaps make up what is known
06:31as the high lift flight system. Both slats and flaps extend outward from the
06:37wing in a curved downward motion, which dramatically alters wing shape to allow
06:43for a much steeper climb angle, while also mitigating the chances of a stall
06:48for takeoff and while climbing to cruising altitude.
06:53The curved slat supports ride on gears driven by a line of connected shafts
06:58back to the slat power drive unit.
07:02For the flaps, a flap carriage rolls outwards driven by its actuator arm as
07:11the supporting flap track beam lowers. A row of multifunction spoilers is
07:19situated at the wing's trailing edge to assist the ailerons with roll control.
07:26Special ground spoilers near the fuselage operate in sync for a lift
07:30dumping effect, creating downforce during landing to effectively stick the
07:35plane to the runway, slow the plane down, and put weight on the wheels for wheel
07:40braking.
07:43Along the wingtip and winglet there are static dischargers,
07:47which are flexible metal rods that discharge built-up static electricity
07:50that builds from friction as the plane travels through the air.
07:57Landing Gear
08:03A strengthened portion of the wing has attachments for the main landing gear,
08:08which is tucked inside the wing and body during flight.
08:16A hydraulic retraction actuator is attached to the main landing gear strut
08:20in such a way to rotate the gear into position for landing.
08:27Bearing doors pivot with the rotating action.
08:32When the landing gear is fully deployed, a hinged side brace and locking stay
08:38with its own actuator keep landing gear locked firmly in place.
08:44These components unlock and fold with the landing gear for stowing.
08:51The nitrogen and oil-filled struts also act as shock absorbers during landing,
08:58with an attached hydraulic shimmy damper to reduce shimmy or shaking that occurs
09:03while under extreme landing forces.
09:08There's a heavy-duty carbon brake stack in each wheel.
09:13Rotors match with keys on the inside of the wheel so they rotate together.
09:20Stators are keyed to the axle and are stationary.
09:26During braking, electrically driven pistons compress the stack,
09:30and the resulting friction slows the plane down.
09:39The nose landing gear has slightly smaller tires and brakes than the main
09:43landing gear, and operates in a similar way with the
09:47addition of a rack and pinion steering system.
10:04Engines. Anemographs already has an existing video about the inner workings
10:10of a jet engine, so for this video we'll focus on the
10:14engine's relationship to airplane function overall.
10:19The rear of the engine case, or cowling, houses the thrust reverser assembly,
10:23which reverses fan thrust to slow the plane down just after touchdown,
10:28reducing wear to other landing parts and allowing shorter landing distances.
10:34The cowling exterior is a translating sleeve that moves backwards,
10:38pulling a ring of connected flaps into an angled position
10:42to block and reverse the normal path of thrust.
10:53Auxiliary power unit. The APU is a backup power source that can
10:58supply energy to things like cabin air conditioning,
11:01cockpit avionics, and so on when the plane is grounded and not yet connected
11:06to an airport power source. The APU also provides power to the main
11:11engines for starting. Pressurized air from the APU turns a
11:15small turbine device at the engine, which rotates the main gearbox and engine
11:20internals, starting the fuel and airflow process on
11:24which jet engines function.
11:28The APU itself is a gas generator that runs on principles similar to the core
11:33of a jet engine. The APU has an electric battery-powered
11:37starter. Air is drawn in through a port at the
11:41rear of the plane. It's mixed with fuel and ignited, and the
11:46resulting combustion drives a turbine to pressurize more air for various
11:50purposes or run an electric generator. The APU
11:56exhausts out the back of the plane.
12:00Fuel. The center box and most of the internal
12:04wing area form a giant system of fuel tanks.
12:08The main containers are the left, center, and right fuel tanks. This plane can
12:15hold a maximum 5,681 gallons of fuel, weighing in at 38,350 pounds.
12:27The same ribs that provide wing structure become baffles with cutouts
12:31that let the fuel travel through the tank, but also
12:34avoid excessive sloshing.
12:38Fuel enters through a port in one wing. A refuel-defuel panel in the wing-to-body
12:45fairing controls the fueling process and also shows fuel levels.
12:52Shut off valves automatically open and close to ensure tanks are evenly filled.
12:58To greatly reduce fire risk, normal air in fuel tanks is replaced with
13:03nitrogen-rich air after refueling is complete.
13:08Bleed air valves on the main engines siphon off pressurized air,
13:14which is then cooled and passed through an air separation module
13:18to remove some of the oxygen, leaving a more nitrogen-rich product,
13:23which is then pumped into the fuel tanks.
13:26Surge tanks at the end of each wing act as vents for the main and center tanks
13:32and have a NACA-style scoop that forces air into the tanks during flight,
13:37keeping positive pressure on the fuel system while allowing pressure changes
13:41depending on the elevation of the plane and the temperature of the fuel.
13:45These scoops also allow air to escape from the system during refueling.
13:49One-way flapper valves allow fuel to flow back into the main tanks,
13:53but not in reverse.
13:57The main fuel pump is located inside the jet engine casing,
14:01attached to a gearbox, which is powered by the jet engine.
14:06Smaller collector tanks in each wing remain constantly full to provide
14:10uninterrupted fuel supply to the main engines.
14:14To accomplish this, many supporting fuel pumps work to transfer fuel as necessary
14:19from the center and wing tanks.
14:22These pumps, called motive flow pumps, work by pressure alone,
14:26without moving mechanical parts, for simplicity and reliability.
14:30Fuel from the engine-mounted main pump flows through a nozzle
14:34into a narrowing tube, creating lower pressure in the chamber behind the nozzle,
14:39which sucks up fuel into the stream.
14:42Electrical boost pumps in each wing can act as a backup if other pumps fail.
14:48During normal operation, motive flow pumps transfer fuel from the center tank
14:54to main wing tanks, to collector tanks, and then to the engine.
15:00While in flight, pressurized air for crew and passenger spaces is collected
15:06from both the low- and high-pressure compressors inside the engine
15:10through bleed air valves.
15:12This hot bleed air is cooled with outside air through ram air ducts
15:18in the wings of the main engine.
15:20This air is then pumped back into the main engine,
15:24This hot bleed air is cooled with outside air through ram air ducts
15:30in the wing-to-body fairing, before proceeding through the climate control system
15:34for further processing as needed.
15:36There's also a low-pressure ground connection for hooking up
15:40to an external air conditioning source while grounded.
15:44A network of air outlet tubes connects the system to cabin controls above each seat,
15:50and in other areas of the plane.
15:54There are equalization valves between pressurized compartments
15:58to maintain equilibrium, and an outflow valve on the pressure bulkhead
16:02behind the forward cargo compartment.
16:08Hot bleed air is also used in the anti-ice and fog system.
16:12Perforated piccolo tubes in the wing slats use bleed air to melt ice.
16:18The air exhausts out the back of the slat.
16:26The front engine cowl is heated with hot bleed air,
16:30and has small exhaust slots at the bottom.
16:34Windshields and side windows in the cockpit have a heating film
16:38between layers of glass.
16:42Electrical.
16:46There are two electrical equipment bays in the underside of the plane's body.
16:50The forward equipment bay is just behind the flight deck,
16:54and the mid-equipment bay is tucked behind the wings.
17:00These bays are filled with a dizzying array of electronics,
17:04computers, etc., to run the many systems on this complex airplane.
17:10Generators attached to each engine are the main source of electrical power.
17:16The APU can provide backup power.
17:20Three separate electrical power centers control distribution
17:24to critical systems like landing gear, the high-lift flight system,
17:28brakes, tire pressure monitors, and many more.
17:32There are two primary flight control computers in the forward equipment bay.
17:36With backup alternate flight computers in the mid-equipment bay.
17:42Hydraulics.
17:46There are three separate hydraulic systems.
17:50Systems 1 and 2 are redundant in case one system fails.
17:54The third system operates only in emergencies.
17:58The base components for system 1 are nestled in the port-side wing-to-body fairing.
18:02System 2 mirrors this arrangement, but on the starboard side.
18:08Hydraulic actuators, fitted in tight, small spaces,
18:12run many critical flight control surfaces.
18:16For example, the spoilers, elevators, rudder, and so on.
18:20There are often multiple actuators to operate a surface,
18:24connected to separate hydraulic systems, again,
18:28for redundancy.
18:32Hydraulic system 1 controls the upper rudder actuator,
18:36left elevator outboard actuator, left thrust reverser,
18:40left and right multifunction spoilers 1 and 3,
18:44the flat power drive unit, left and right flat brake,
18:48left and right ground spoilers, and landing gear.
18:52Hydraulic system 2 powers the middle rudder actuator,
18:56the right elevator outboard actuator,
19:00right thrust reverser, the right and left multifunction spoiler 4,
19:04the left aileron outboard actuators,
19:08nose wheel steering, the flat power drive unit,
19:12and the left and right flat brakes.
19:16Emergency system 3 can power the lower rudder actuator,
19:20left and right elevator inboard actuators,
19:24left and right multifunction spoiler number 2,
19:28left and right aileron inboard actuators,
19:32left and right slat and flat brakes,
19:36and the ram air turbine stow actuator.
19:40Water and waste.
19:44This plane has three bathrooms,
19:48one up front behind the flight deck,
19:52and one in the back.
19:56There are also sinks at the forward and rear galley stations.
20:00Pumps pull water from a 42-gallon tank
20:04anchored under the rear floor panels.
20:08A heated blanket and heated water lines keep the water from freezing.
20:12A water heater near each sink
20:16passes hot water through a water mixer to regulate faucet temperature.
20:20Gray water from the sinks is drained through heated
20:24gray water drain masts at the front and mid-rear of the plane's underside.
20:28Gray water drains in flight
20:32and evaporates in air.
20:36Black water from onboard toilets is stored in a waste tank
20:40and emptied after landing.
20:44Both air and water are separated from waste as it enters the tank.
20:48At altitudes below 16,000 feet,
20:52a vacuum generator creates suction to pull waste into the tank.
20:56Above 16,000 feet, the vacuum generator is bypassed,
21:00and the pressure difference inside and outside the plane
21:04creates the necessary suction forces.
21:08Emergency systems.
21:12The forward and aft galley stations have first aid kits,
21:16crew life vests, megaphones, and portable oxygen cylinders
21:20that provide 15 minutes of oxygen to crew members.
21:24Oxygen generators are positioned above each row of seats.
21:28If the cabin loses pressurization, masks deploy,
21:32and a chemical reaction generates about 13 minutes of oxygen.
21:36An emergency locator transmitter automatically activates
21:40if a crash is detected.
21:44The locator transmitter emits a signal that can be used to help locate the aircraft.
21:48An aircraft identification module provides the location transmitter
21:52with aircraft-specific data.
21:56Door-mounted slides are packed into a bottom compartment
22:00in each passenger and service door.
22:04A lever in the door arms the slides so that it will deploy
22:08when the door is opened by attaching itself to the door sill and deflating.
22:12The overwing emergency exit doors
22:16are always armed, and an escape slide will deploy
22:20from a special compartment near the rear of the wing when the door is opened.
22:24In the event of full electrical power failure,
22:28a ram air turbine, or RAT,
22:32deploys automatically and works like a tiny windmill,
22:36using the plane's movement through the air to generate emergency electrical power.
22:40RAT power keeps emergency and landing gear systems active
22:44and provides power to emergency hydraulic system number three.
22:48There are temperature-sensitive fire detection loops
22:52around each engine and the APU with spherical fire extinguishing bottles nearby.
22:58The equipment bays have smoke detectors,
23:02and cargo compartments have smoke detectors and fire extinguishing bottles.
23:06A flight data recorder monitors and records
23:10the last 50 hours of operational data
23:14and can hold 25 hours in its crash-survivable memory unit.
23:18It has an underwater locator beacon that emits a signal for 90 days.
23:22An aircraft health management system stores maintenance data
23:26and monitors things like gust, turbulence, and hard landing conditions.
23:30Crew areas.
23:34There are front and rear galley areas with folding crew seats.
23:38The flight deck door is made of sturdy materials
23:42and has a bulletproof insert with a bullet-resistant peephole
23:46to the passenger cabin.
23:50The door latch prevents opening when pressure is applied from the passenger side.
23:54A keypad allows flight attendants to request entry into the cabin
23:58and allows flight attendants to request entry into the flight deck.
24:02There's an override code for emergency access.
24:06Surveillance cameras monitor the area just outside the flight deck door.
24:10Stay tuned to the Animographs channel
24:14as we'll be producing a companion video to this one
24:18covering the staggeringly detailed flight deck in full.
24:22External lighting and antennas.
24:26Navigation lights for aircraft visibility are installed in pairs
24:30in case a bulb burns out
24:34with green lights on the right wingtip, red lights on the left,
24:38and white lights at the tail.
24:42Red flashing beacon lights and white strobe lights help aircraft avoid colliding with one another.
24:46There are flood lamps to illuminate the airplane logo
24:50and side lamps for wing inspections while on the ground.
24:54Lights on the left and right wing-to-body fairing
24:58and on the nose landing gear illuminate the runway during takeoff and landing.
25:02Taxi lights illuminate the area around the airplane while on the ground.
25:06The weather radar antenna performs multiple radar scans
25:10at different tilt angles.
25:14Antennas line the fuselage for things like radio communication to ground stations,
25:18collision avoidance and air traffic surveillance,
25:22GPS, a KU band antenna for internet access,
25:26and more.