Why Aircraft Aluminium Alloys Are Used in Aerospace Design

Aluminium alloys are commonly used in aerospace engineering. They are valued for being lightweight, strong, resistant to corrosion, and fatigue-tolerant. These are essential properties for tight design margins and extended service life. The alloys are used in fuselage frames, wing parts, landing gear supports, and internal structures. They help engineers reduce weight while maintaining high mechanical performance. This boosts fuel efficiency, extends the aircraft’s range, and reduces emissions.

A review from the UK Government shows that losing weight can help cut carbon emissions in aviation, which is a vital goal in the UK’s Net Zero strategy. Aluminium’s strength-to-weight ratio makes it a top choice in aerospace, despite the rise of composite materials.

This article explains why aluminium alloys are vital in aerospace design. It also highlights popular grades and compares their performance with titanium and carbon fibre.

Why Aluminium Alloys Are Still Chosen for Aircraft Structures

1. Strong & Lightweight

The strength-to-weight ratio of aerospace-grade aluminium is a key reason it remains in service. Grades such as 7075-T6 and 2024-T3 have tensile strengths comparable to those of mild steel. However, they weigh about a third of its weight.

In structural applications, such as wing spars and fuselage frames, reducing weight helps improve fuel economy and payload efficiency. The European Aluminium Association estimates that for every 100 kg of structural weight removed from an aircraft, fuel use drops by up to 10%.

Lightweight materials help decrease take-off weight. As a result, planes can fly longer distances and achieve better engine performance under standard loads.

2. Resistance to Corrosion & Fatigue

Aircraft regularly experience stress cycles. This happens during take-off, landing, cabin pressurisation, and turbulence. This makes fatigue resistance a vital property in structural materials. Aerospace alloys, such as 2024 and 7050, are designed to remain strong even under repeated loading.

Aircraft structures are subjected to mechanical fatigue, coastal air, temperature fluctuations, and de-icing chemicals. Aluminium naturally forms a thin oxide layer that protects against surface corrosion. Alloys like 5052 resist corrosion well, making them the top choice for external panels, fuel tanks, and exposed brackets.

Together, these properties reduce in-service failures and minimise unplanned maintenance, improving aircraft availability.

3. Machinability & Design Flexibility

Aluminium is easy to process using standard cutting, milling, and forming techniques. It can be extruded, rolled, or machined into precise parts. These include fuselage frames, angle profiles, flat bars, and curved skin sections (discussed in more detail below). This allows both high-volume production and low-volume prototyping without retooling.

Grades like 6061 are commonly used in light aircraft due to their excellent machinability and weldability. This makes them ideal for smaller components such as brackets, fairings, and test parts that require forming or joining.

At Clickmetal, our aluminium profiles are available in cut-to-size options and dispatched within 3–5 working days. This allows you plenty of time to reduce internal handling time and minimise material waste. Having ready-to-fit profiles also supports tighter build schedules and consistent component tolerances.

Common Aluminium Alloys Used in Aerospace Applications

Aircraft designers pick alloys based on their applications. They examine stress exposure, weight limits, environmental conditions, and the assembly process.

Below are some of the most widely specified grades for aerospace components:

• 2024: High strength and fatigue resistance; widely used in fuselage panels and wing tension members.
• 5052: Excellent corrosion resistance; selected for fuel tanks, floor panels, and marine-facing assemblies.
• 6061: Good strength, corrosion resistance, and weldability. Used in brackets, frames, and interior structures.
• 7075: High strength-to-weight ratio; ideal for wing spars, landing gear, and heavily loaded components.
• 7050: Offers improved corrosion resistance over 7075, particularly in thick-section aerospace parts.

Each alloy can be precision cut to your required dimensions. For detailed stock availability and specification sheets, visit our aluminium product range.

Where Aluminium Alloys Are Used in Aircraft Design

• Wing Skins & Fuselage Panels: Balances fatigue resistance with low weight for improved efficiency.
• Landing Gear Support Brackets: Strength and impact resistance are essential under repeated loads.
• Cabin Interiors & Seat Frames: Its ductility and weight savings boost safety and layout options.
• Fuel Tanks & Housing Structures: Combine corrosion resistance with pressure handling.
• Engine Mounts & Firewalls: Use stronger grades, such as 7075, for enhanced heat and vibration tolerance.

As you can see, aluminium alloys feature in nearly every structural and semi-structural part of an aircraft. Most of these components use aluminium’s machinability and formability. This makes it great for custom shapes and complex assemblies.

At Clickmetal, we provide materials cut to your specs. This way, your aerospace project can transition smoothly from design to delivery.

Ready for Launch?

Aluminium alloys continue to form the backbone of aerospace design, and that’s not because they’re new, but because they’re trusted. Their combination of strength, low weight, fatigue resistance, and corrosion protection has stood the test of time, especially in commercial and defence aircraft.

The UK aerospace sector is now far more focused on sustainability and efficiency. Aluminium is important because it is easily recyclable, widely available, and simple to process. They’re versatile and cost-effective for prototypes and large-scale material sourcing. If you want aerospace-grade aluminium in the UK, we provide sheet, plate, bar, and extrusions. Explore our full aluminium range today. We cut each piece to your specified length and deliver it nationwide within 3–5 working days.

Call 01794 526090 or contact us to discuss your project requirements with our team.