The aircraft and aerospace industries have long relied upon aluminum alloys. After the aluminum (aluminum-copper) alloys, the most important aircraft material in the future will be aluminum-lithium alloys. With aluminum-lithium alloys, it is possible to reduce planes by 15%.The importance and usage areas of aluminum for the defense industry are rapidly increasing. Aluminum alloys are used in different amounts in various rocket and missile systems. Depending on the type of rocket or missile, aluminum and its products can be preferred according to the infrastructure and parts. The first aircraft could never have taken flight without the aluminum alloy utilized in its engine. Aluminum has been used in the aerospace industry ever since the Wright brothers built their first plane. Today, like many industries, aerospace makes wide use of aluminum manufacturing. Due to its valuable properties, aluminum has become ideal for lowering costs of aircraft manufacturing while upholding stringent specifications required in the industry.
With a number of beneficial properties, aluminum is an easy choice for manufacturing aircraft. Wood was originally used to build aircraft, but it is prone to rot and can splinter without proper maintenance. Likewise, steel is stronger than aluminum, but weighs significantly more. Steel is only used in aircraft when extremely high strength is needed, such as landing gears, or extremely high-speed planes. The use of aluminum alloys reduces the weight of an aircraft significantly. With a weight roughly a third lighter than steel, it allows an aircraft to either carry more weight, or become more fuel efficient. Aluminium’s strength allows it to replace heavier metals without the loss of strength associated with other metals, while benefitting from its lighter weight. For an aircraft and its passengers, corrosion can be extremely dangerous. Aluminum is highly resistant to corrosion and chemical environments, making it especially valuable for aircrafts operating in highly corrosive maritime environments.