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Fuselage: The fuselage is the typically enclosed space that holds the cockpit and cabin.
The cockpit is the term for the area where the pilots control the aircraft. The cabin is
where passengers sit or cargo is stored. The fuselage serves as the structure to which parts
of the aircraft are attached. Like the wing, the fuselage can do lots of different jobs,

Aircraft components
and most of the time, it does lots of them at the same time. they are-

1. Carries Payload
2. Houses the undercarriage
3. It’s where the pilot and/or crew sit
4. Houses the aircraft systems
5. House the engine or engines
6. Links the wings to the tail unit
7. Carries weapons
Add to this, most modern aircraft have some sort of pressurization.

Pressurization: When aircraft fly at high altitudes, they are more fuel efficient. At
such altitudes the passengers and crew would find it uncomfortable, or even impossible to
survive. So the inside air of the fuselage is pressurised to simulate a lower altitude, of
around 2,400 metres (8,000 feet) for transport aircraft, and up to 7,600 metres (25,000
feet) for military aircraft (with crew oxygen).

Fuselage-Pressure Vessel
When we pressurize the air inside the fuselage, these pressure forces will try to burst the
fuselage like a balloon. Therefore the fuselage is designed as a pressure vessel, in order to
contain these forces. Which is why the cross section of the fuselage is circular, as this is
the best shape to contain the pressure.

Fuselage Forces
Fuselage Forces: As mentioned earlier, the fuselage forms a structural link between the
wings and the tail unit. It has to keep everything in the correct position and angles, and be
capable of resisting the loads that they all impose upon it. So all these forces are acting at
the same time – another difficult structural problem for the aircraft designer.

Fuselage Sections: There are three distinct parts of the fuselage:

 The nose section
 The centre section
 The aft or rear section
The three sections will carry different loads in accordance with the task the aircraft is
required to do, but in all types the centre section needs to be large and strong. In flight,
the whole aircraft will be supported by lift from the wings, transmitted through the centre
of the fuselage to carry the other parts of the airframe.
Fuselage Shapes: Combat aircraft fuselages come in many complex shapes and sizes,
this is due to the special tasks that they may have to accomplish.However, in
transport aircraft, the majority of the fuselage is tubular.

Stretched Airframe Examples

The reason is that this is a convenient shape for carrying cargo or passengers, and makes
it possible to stretch the aircraft. This results in mainly cylindrical fuselages, with tapered
nose and tail sections. Stretching is achieved by inserting extra pieces or plugs without a
major re-design of the fuselage.
 Double Deck Fuselages
Double Deck Fuselages: There are some commercial aircraft that do not have a circular
cross section. The Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 ‘Jumbo Jet’ have a fuselage cross-section
that is oval in shape. This is to accommodate the double deck passenger section.

fuselage attachments
Fuselage Attachments: The fuselage can carry most of the major loads, both on the
ground and in flight. To this end, most of the other airframe components such as the
wing, stabilisers, pylon and undercarriage, can be fitted to the fuselage.
Wings: The wings can be mounted above or below the passenger compartment. Wings
are usually attached to the fuselage with multiple attachments, although light aircraft may
still have wings attached with as few as two bolts.
Horizontal and vertical stabilizers: The horizontal and vertical stabilizers can be fitted
to the fuselage in numerous different ways. When the horizontal stabilizer is fitted part-
way up or on the top of the vertical stabiliser, there will be only one strong attachment
point. Otherwise, there will be separate attachments for the fin and for the left and right
tailplane sections.
Where a moving horizontal stabilizer is employed, the attachment will consist of left and
right rear pivot fittings and a single forward attachment to a trim actuator. On rare
occasions, the rear fuselage is manufactured, together with the stabilizers, as one integral
unit. Because the loads generated by the empennage, it is usual to find that the rear
fuselage structure has stronger frames around the stabilizer attachment points. These
frames transmit the loads along the fuselage and away from the tail.
Construction: Fuselages are generally constructed in two or more sections. On
small aircraft, they are generally made in two or three sections, while larger aircraft may
be made up of as many as six sections. A similar method of construction to that used in
the wings can be used for fuselages and tail units (or foreplanes). In general, there are two
methods of fuselage construction;

Welded Steel Truss Design

1. The truss type, and
2. The monocoque type
Welded Steel Truss Design: The welded steel truss was used extensively
in aircraft designs in the interwar years. In a Welded Steel Truss, the structural elements
resemble those of a bridge, with emphasis on using linked trianglular
elements. The aerodynamic shape is completed by additional elements called Frames and
Stringers and is then covered with fabric, metal sheeting or composite. The truss ensures
a robust, uniform load bearing structure. Although superseded by monocoque designs, the
welded steel truss is still used in some light aircraft and helicopters.
Monocoque Design: The monocoque (single shell) fuselage relies largely on the strength
of the skin or covering to carry the primary stresses. The monocoque design relies on the
strength of the stressed skin within the airframe structure to share the loads, allowing for
a much-reduced internal structure. The monocoque design can be further sub-divided into
three classes:
1. True Monocoque: Consists of formers, frame assemblies and bulkheads to
provide shape with the skin carrying the primary stress, but suffers from poor
strength to weight ratios
2. Semi-Monocoque: Overcomes the strength to weight ratio of the True
Monocoque by reinforcing the skin with longitudinal members
3. Reinforced Shell: The skin is reinforced by a complete framework of structural
members.
 Semi-Monocoque Structure
Semi-Monocoque Structures: A Semi-Monocoque fuselage is constructed primarily of
Aluminium Alloy. The primary loads are taken by the Longerons, which usually extend
across several points of support, holding the bulkheads, frames and formers. These are
supplemented by Stringers.
 Stringers are more numerous and lighter in weight than Longerons.
 Stringers have some rigidity, but are chiefly used for giving shape and allow
attachment of the skin.
Stringers and Longerons prevent tension and compression stresses from bending the
fuselage. The bulkheads and formers hold the stringers. All these structural elements join
together to provide a rigid fuselage framework.

The stressed skin is attached to the Longerons, Bulkheads and the other structural
members. The stressed skin that carries part of the structural load of the airframe. The
skin thickness varies with the load being carried and the stresses sustained at given
locations.

structural members
Advantages of Semi-Monocoque: There are a number of advantages to utilising a semi-
monocoque fuselage in a airframe design.
 It leaves a large proportion of the inside free to accommodate crew, passengers and
cargo
  The Bulkhead, Frames, Stringers and Longerons aid in producing a streamlined
fuselage and add to the strength and rigidity of the structure and it does not depend
on a few members for strength and rigidity.
 As a semi-monocoque design relies on a number of structural members for strength
and rigidity, the fuselage can withstand damage.
 Loads from pressurisation can be up to 5600 kilogrammes force per square metre
(that is a force equal to the weight of six cars for every square metre of fuselage
skin. This is easier to achieve in semi-monocoque construction.
Pressure Bulkheads: The nose and tail of the fuselage uses double curvature bulkheads,
like the surface of an egg, to make the skin even stiffer.

Pressure Bulkheads
Pressure bulkheads are fitted in the nose and close to the tail of most aircraft. They are
generally curved. Their job is to withstand the loads imposed by pressurisation of the
fuselage.

Cabin Floor: For a civil airliner, the cabin will require a floor, consisting of beams
across the inside of the fuselage and covered in sheet alloy or composite panels. This
ensures a flat surface for walking on and fitting seats. It also allows the designer to
compartmentalise the fuselage, this leaves space for luggage and the many aircraft
systems in the lower fuselage space.

Windows
Windows & Doors: To allow for doors and windows, the fuselage must also include
cut-outs, but this causes the engineers structural problems.
The fuselage needs to be strengthened around them. It is important to make sure that
loads can be routed around these cut-outs, and spread evenly into surrounding skin and
structure. The ideal shape for a cut-out in a fuselage is an ellipse, and many aircraft have
windows this shape.