Summary
Aircrafts are built and designed in accordance to strict conditions that are set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This an international organization that informs national stadnards of aircraft maintainence to ensure optimum flight performance. Aircraft performance is determined by various factors including the weight of the airplane, atmospheric conditions, runway conditions (runway surface and runway slope), airplane balance, contamination of the airframe, flap setting and wind. (Torenbeek, 2013) The element of aircraft performance has undergone tremendous improvement and alterations since the first controlled, sustained flight of an aircraft on December 17, 1903 by the Wright Brothers till the manufacture of the modern jet aircraft (Hallenberg, 2004).
Problem
The problem that this paper focuses on is based on the evaluation of the challenges and opportunities in the aircraft manufacturing industry following World War 2 as commercial and military aircraft evolved from the piston-engine to the high-performance engine of the modern aircraft. The factors that influenced the aircraft manufacturing industry will also be examined.
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Significance of the problem
The significance of the problem is that the aircraft manufacturing industry is the most crucial platform through which the aircraft’s performance is obtained. It is at this stage that the aircraft is designed and built to enable it attain airworthiness. In developing the aircraft’s performance since the ancient ages the process has been influenced by various factors with respect to designs, performance, materials, developments and production of new and high performance aircrafts.
Factors influencing the aircraft manufacturing industry
The factors that have influenced the development of the aircraft’s performance over the years include production efficiency, labor cost and productivity, access to capital and the economics of scale.
Production Efficiency considers the Original Equipment Manufacturers and the fact that they are always under pressure to improve productivity and to use the latest efficiency techniques used in manufacturing. This increases productivity and creates efficient aircrafts with the latest technology enabling those aircrafts to have high performance. Labor cost and productivity involves improving the efficiency of all employees at all skill levels promotes innovation at the manufacturing level. Once the innovation of the employees is improved the aircrafts are created differently and better this leads to better performance.
The skilled workforce, on the other hand, is based on the scientific and technological knowledge which promotes and improves innovation. This is crucial in developing new products with superior features. These superior features lead to better aircraft performance. The workers are expected to be certified aircraft workers and engineers. Access to capital is also a part of the process as the manufacture of new aircrafts need lump sums of capital over long durations. Capital is crucial for new aircraft plans, certification, facility expansions and material procurement. Lastly, Economies of scale and the learning curve considers the aircraft manufacturing industry which is characterized by high fixed development costs, the capability of the industry to know low unit costs via production volume is important. This is crucial in promoting better aircraft performance.
Factors that affect aircraft performance
Different factors affect the performance of an aircraft and its parts. A consideration of these factors is done.
Temperature - the engine/performance of the aircraft depends on the temperature of the surroundings of the engine. The higher the temperature the less thrust that is produced as compared to when the temperature is low. Due to a low thrust and drag value, the aircraft requires a longer distance when taking off (Phillips, Phillips, & Phillips, 2012).
Air density: air density directly interferes the lift, drag forces and thrust whereby air density that is low leads to a reduced thrust in the engines. Lower levels of air density causes the aircraft to require higher take-off speed.
Wind: wind affects the lift and drag during takeoff, the lift and the drag are depends on air speed. Wind that blows against the airplane reduces the ground speed hence reducing the lift and drag.
Recommendations
The aircraft manufacturing industry should focus on establishing better aircraft models that are resistant to the effects of a headwind and low levels of air density. Moreover, the industry should ensure that the skilled workforce are people who are aware of the requirement of improving the performance of the aircraft with each passing generation.
References
Hallenberg, J. (2004). The Wright Brothers, the Invention of the Aerial Age . Retrieved from National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian: http://nasm. si. edu.
Phillips, A., Phillips, A. P., & Phillips, T. R. (2012). Biz jets: technology and market structure in the corporate jet aircraft industry (Vol. 1). New York: Springer Science & Business Media.
Torenbeek, E. (2013). Synthesis of subsonic airplane design: an introduction to the preliminary design of subsonic general aviation and transport aircraft, with emphasis on layout, aerodynamic design, propulsion and performance. New York: Springer Science & Business.
