Importance of 1920's Engine Development for the Aviation Industry

Summary 

The aviation industry was just reaching maturity levels in the 1920s. This was after comprehensive research and intensive testing that saw the industry evolving and implementing new developments into the aircrafts. This would propell the aircraft industry into greater heights and transition from general aviation into commercial options. The focus moved from aeroplanes as tools of war and national security and they began to be considered as quick and efficient commercial means of transport. The efficiency of the aircraft was eventually determined by the weight of the materials used for construction. 

Problem 

Air craft developers were of the opinion that the engine cylinder was the key to a more efficient air craft. Engineers were tien between air cooled engine cylinders or liquid cooled cylinders. The key to finding a solution was to determine which type of cylinder would be more efficient and lighter in weight. The rules of flying placed limits on the weight of flying vessels. The developers had to strike a balance between effective equipment and sufficient weight that would allow the aircraft to take of and remain air borne. Additionally, the design had to reflect sustainability in the cost, availability of materials and three amount of power availed to power the engine (Quddus, 2016). 

Significance of the problem 

The problem of engine design came in when the manufacturers had to invent cylinders that were both light weight and also longer lasting. The manufacturers had to choose whether to maintain the liquid cooled engine cylinders that were previously used by the Wright brothers other go adopt air cooled engine cylinders. Liquid cooling engines were favored because they had the advantage of less shock cooling to the engine. They also give radiator placement flexibility and structural rigidity in the engine. However, liquid cooled engines were heavy and this limited their commercial capabilities. An improvement in the design of the engine would handle this problem (Argyres, & Mostafa, 2016). 

Alternative Actions 

The air cooled engine cylinder system was fronted as an alternative because it eliminated the weight of a liquid coolant. It also did not require a secondary heat source. The development of the engine was complicated by development of a system that would effectively manage the aerodynamic action of air. This involved designing different engine cowlings and do interning metallurgical problems. The material to be used to make the design of the cast of the engine components was therefore a vital consideration of the designers. The V-8 was one of the first designs that replaced liquid cooled engine cylinders with air cooled cylinders. Glenn Curtis launched the new design initially in 1908 to propell the June Bug. This provided the foundational design that other engineers but on. The years that followed by characterised by engineering designs and improvements that were successful implemented. After the design of the air cooled engine cylinders was completed, aircraft that had been mainly used as war tools were sold off and they began to be used commercially. The new engine design was also incorporated into the development of new aircraft models that were designed to carry passengers and cargo (Ferguson & Kirkpatrick, 2015). 

Recommendation 

The air cooling design from Pratt and Whitney eventually phased out the liquid cooling design from the Wright brothers. The military was the first beneficiary of the engines that were more efficient and lighter. This enabled them to pack more power into the engines and to increase the speed of the aircrafts. The information above is a clear indicator that the development of the engine was the driving force behind the development of the commercial aviation industry. 

References 

Argyres, N., & Mostafa, R. (2016). Knowledge inheritance, vertical integration, and entrant survival in the early US auto industry.  Academy of Management Journal ,   59 (4), 1474-1492. 

Ferguson, C. R., & Kirkpatrick, A. T. (2015).  Internal combustion engines: applied thermosciences . John Wiley " Sons. 

Quddus, M. (2016). Aviation safety and security.  Air Transport Management: An International Perspective , 191.