Construction of Transportation Means - Decreasing Fuel Consumption and Exhaust Gas Emissions in Transportation - page 43

6.5

6.0

5.5

5.0

4.5

4.0

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

year

Fig. 3.5 Fuel consumption of modern airline fleets

aluminum-lithium

titanium

composites

standard materials

composites

standard materials

Fig. 3.6 Material structures of a modern airplane

3.2.1 Main Construction Elements

The main groups of structural elements of an airplane are presented in Fig. 3.3
[ 28 ].

3.2.2 Classification of Airplanes

Airplane systems have become very complex (see Fig. 3.4 )[ 29 ]. However, this
book deals only with rigid wing airplanes (see Table 3.6 )[ 30 ].

3.2.3 Comparison of Fuel Consumption and Exhaust Gas
Emissions from Airplane Types

There are three main types of airplanes:

• Small airplanes;