Aluminum in Aircraft and Spacecraft

Much of the airframe of modern aircraft is made from aluminum. Aluminum is the preferred material option for wing, fuselage and supporting structures of military transport/cargo aircraft and commercial airliners. Naval aircraft use structural components made from fabricated wrought aluminum. Aluminum casting technology is able to create intricate shapes and achieve innovative designs, which keeps manufacturing costs to a minimum.
Aluminum is ideal for spacecraft because of its light weight and its capability to handle the powerful loads and stresses that occur during the launch and operation. Aluminum alloys perform exceptionally compared to many other metals in terms of dampening, minimizing weight, thermal management, and mechanical stability.