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Aircraft and their characteristics. Civil aviation aircraft

An airplane is an aircraft, without which today it is impossible to imagine the movement of people and cargo over long distances. The development of the design of a modern aircraft, as well as the creation of its individual elements, seems to be an important and responsible task. Only highly qualified engineers and specialized specialists are allowed to do this work, since a small error in calculations or a manufacturing defect will lead to fatal consequences for pilots and passengers. It is no secret that any aircraft has a fuselage, load-bearing wings, a power unit, a multi-directional control system and takeoff and landing devices.

The information presented below about the design features of aircraft components will be of interest to adults and children involved in the design development of aircraft models, as well as individual elements.

Airplane fuselage

The main part of the aircraft is the fuselage. The remaining structural elements are attached to it: wings, tail with fins, landing gear, and inside there is a control cabin, technical communications, passengers, cargo and the crew of the aircraft. The aircraft body is assembled from longitudinal and transverse load-bearing elements, followed by metal sheathing (in light-engine versions - plywood or plastic).

When designing an aircraft fuselage, the requirements are for the weight of the structure and maximum strength characteristics. This can be achieved using the following principles:

The aircraft fuselage body is made in a shape that reduces drag on air masses and promotes the generation of lift. The volume and dimensions of the aircraft must be proportionally weighed;
When designing, the most dense arrangement of the skin and strength elements of the body is provided to increase the useful volume of the fuselage;
They focus on the simplicity and reliability of fastening wing segments, takeoff and landing equipment, and power plants;
Places for securing cargo, accommodating passengers, and consumables must ensure reliable fastening and balance of the aircraft under various operating conditions;

The location of the crew must provide conditions for comfortable control of the aircraft, access to basic navigation and control instruments in extreme situations;
During the period of aircraft maintenance, it is possible to freely diagnose and repair failed components and assemblies.

The strength of the aircraft body must be able to withstand loads under various flight conditions, including:

loads at the attachment points of the main elements (wings, tail, landing gear) during takeoff and landing modes;
during the flight period, withstand the aerodynamic load, taking into account the inertial forces of the aircraft’s weight, the operation of units, and the functioning of equipment;
pressure drops in hermetically confined parts of the aircraft, constantly arising during flight overloads.

The main types of aircraft body construction include flat, one- and two-story, wide and narrow fuselage. Beam-type fuselages have proven themselves and are used, including layout options called:

Sheathing - the design excludes longitudinally located segments, reinforcement occurs due to frames;
Spar - the element has significant dimensions, and the direct load falls on it;
Stringer ones - have an original shape, the area and cross-section are smaller than in the spar version.

Important! The uniform distribution of the load on all parts of the aircraft is carried out due to the internal frame of the fuselage, which is represented by the connection of various power elements along the entire length of the structure.

Wing design

A wing is one of the main structural elements of an aircraft, providing lift for flight and maneuvering in air masses. The wings are used to accommodate take-off and landing devices, a power unit, fuel and attachments. The operational and flight characteristics of an aircraft depend on the correct combination of weight, strength, structural rigidity, aerodynamics, and workmanship.

The main parts of the wing are the following list of elements:

A hull formed from spars, stringers, ribs, plating;
Slats and flaps ensuring smooth takeoff and landing;
Interceptors and ailerons - through them the aircraft is controlled in the airspace;
Brake flaps designed to reduce the speed of movement during landing;
Pylons required for mounting power units.

The structural-force diagram of the wing (the presence and location of parts under load) must provide stable resistance to the forces of torsion, shear and bending of the product. This includes longitudinal and transverse elements, as well as external cladding.

Transverse elements include ribs;
The longitudinal element is represented by spars, which can be in the form of a monolithic beam and represent a truss. They are located throughout the entire volume of the inner part of the wing. Participate in imparting rigidity to the structure when exposed to bending and lateral forces at all stages of flight;
Stringer is also classified as a longitudinal element. Its placement is along the wing along the entire span. Works as a compensator of axial stress for wing bending loads;
Ribs are an element of transverse placement. The structure consists of trusses and thin beams. Gives profile to the wing. Provides surface rigidity while distributing a uniform load during the creation of a flight air cushion, as well as attaching the power unit;
The skin shapes the wing, providing maximum aerodynamic lift. Together with other structural elements, it increases the rigidity of the wing and compensates for external loads.

The classification of aircraft wings is carried out depending on the design features and the degree of operation of the outer skin, including:

Spar type. They are characterized by a slight thickness of the skin, forming a closed contour with the surface of the side members.
Monoblock type. The main external load is distributed over the surface of the thick skin, secured by a massive set of stringers. The cladding can be monolithic or consist of several layers.

Important! The joining of wing parts and their subsequent fastening must ensure the transmission and distribution of bending and torque moments arising under various operating conditions.

Aircraft engines

Thanks to the constant improvement of aviation power units, the development of modern aircraft construction continues. The first flights could not be long and were carried out exclusively with one pilot precisely because there were no powerful engines capable of developing the necessary traction force. Over the entire past period, aviation used the following types of aircraft engines:

Steam. The principle of operation was to convert steam energy into forward motion, transmitted to the aircraft propeller. Due to its low efficiency, it was used for a short time on the first aircraft models;
Piston engines are standard engines with internal combustion of fuel and transmission of torque to propellers. The availability of manufacturing from modern materials allows their use to this day on certain aircraft models. The efficiency is no more than 55.0%, but high reliability and ease of maintenance make the engine attractive;

Reactive. The operating principle is based on converting the energy of intense combustion of aviation fuel into the thrust necessary for flight. Today, this type of engine is most in demand in aircraft construction;
Gas turbine. They work on the principle of boundary heating and compression of fuel combustion gas aimed at rotating a turbine unit. They are widely used in military aviation. Used in aircraft such as Su-27, MiG-29, F-22, F-35;
Turboprop. One of the options for gas turbine engines. But the energy obtained during operation is converted into drive energy for the aircraft propeller. A small part of it is used to form a thrust jet. Mainly used in civil aviation;
Turbofan. Characterized by high efficiency. The technology used for injection of additional air for complete combustion of fuel ensures maximum operating efficiency and high environmental safety. Such engines have found their application in the creation of large airliners.

Important! The list of engines developed by aircraft designers is not limited to the above list. At different times, attempts were made to create various variations of power units. In the last century, work was even carried out on the construction of nuclear engines for the benefit of aviation. Prototypes were tested in the USSR (TU-95, AN-22) and the USA (Convair NB-36H), but were withdrawn from testing due to the high environmental hazard in aviation accidents.

Controls and signaling

The complex of on-board equipment, command and actuator devices of the aircraft are called controls. Commands are given from the pilot cabin and are carried out by elements of the wing plane and tail feathers. Different types of aircraft use different types of control systems: manual, semi-automatic and fully automated.

The controls, regardless of the type of control system, are divided as follows:

Basic control, which includes actions responsible for adjusting flight conditions, restoring the longitudinal balance of the aircraft in predetermined parameters, these include:

levers directly controlled by the pilot (wheel, elevator, horizon, command panels);
communications for connecting control levers with elements of actuators;
direct executing devices (ailerons, stabilizers, spoiler systems, flaps, slats).

Additional control used during takeoff or landing modes.

When using manual or semi-automatic control of an aircraft, the pilot can be considered an integral part of the system. Only he can collect and analyze information about the aircraft’s position, load indicators, compliance of the flight direction with planned data, and make decisions appropriate to the situation.

To obtain objective information about the flight situation and the state of the aircraft components, the pilot uses groups of instruments, let’s name the main ones:

Aerobatic and used for navigation purposes. Determine coordinates, horizontal and vertical position, speed, linear deviations. They control the angle of attack in relation to the oncoming air flow, the operation of gyroscopic devices and many equally significant flight parameters. On modern aircraft models they are combined into a single flight and navigation system;
To control the operation of the power unit. They provide the pilot with information about the temperature and pressure of oil and aviation fuel, the flow rate of the working mixture, the number of revolutions of the crankshafts, the vibration indicator (tachometers, sensors, thermometers, etc.);
To monitor the functioning of additional equipment and aircraft systems. They include a set of measuring instruments, the elements of which are located in almost all structural parts of the aircraft (pressure gauges, air consumption indicator, pressure drop in sealed closed cabins, flap positions, stabilizing devices, etc.);
To assess the state of the surrounding atmosphere. The main measured parameters are the outside air temperature, the state of atmospheric pressure, humidity, and speed indicators of the movement of air masses. Special barometers and other adapted measuring instruments are used.

Important! The measuring instruments used to monitor the condition of the machine and the external environment are specially designed and adapted for difficult operating conditions.

Takeoff and landing systems 2280

Takeoff and landing are considered critical periods during aircraft operation. During this period, maximum loads occur on the entire structure. Only reliably designed landing gear can guarantee acceptable acceleration for lifting into the sky and a soft touch on the surface of the landing strip. In flight, they serve as an additional element to stiffen the wings.

The design of the most common chassis models is represented by the following elements:

folding strut, compensating lot loads;
shock absorber (group), ensures smooth operation of the aircraft when moving along the runway, compensates for shocks during contact with the ground, can be installed in conjunction with stabilizer dampers;
braces, which act as reinforcers of structural rigidity, can be called rods, are located diagonally with respect to the rack;
traverses attached to the fuselage structure and landing gear wings;
orientation mechanism - to control the direction of movement on the lane;
locking systems that ensure the rack is secured in the required position;
cylinders designed to extend and retract the landing gear.

How many wheels does an airplane have? The number of wheels is determined depending on the model, weight and purpose of the aircraft. The most common is the placement of two main racks with two wheels. Heavier models are three-post (located under the bow and wings), four-post - two main and two additional support ones.

Video

The described design of the aircraft gives only a general idea of the main structural components and allows us to determine the degree of importance of each element during the operation of the aircraft. Further study requires in-depth engineering training, special knowledge of aerodynamics, strength of materials, hydraulics and electrical equipment. At aircraft manufacturing enterprises, these issues are dealt with by people who have undergone training and special training. You can independently study all the stages of creating an aircraft, but to do this you should be patient and be ready to gain new knowledge.

Representative of business aviation.

Long gone are the days when an airplane (later an airplane) was just a plane. As they say in itself and for itself. People's needs change, technological progress does not stand still at all, and planes practically do not fly for fun, extreme sports, or anything like that. Although, of course, in fairness it should be said that this also occurs. However, the mercantile-useful use of aviation still prevails. And since in the modern world there are already quite a lot of areas of its application, its diversity is quite large.

So, . They are determined in accordance with regulatory documents. There is such a serious (by appearance :-)) document: the Air Code of the Russian Federation. So it defines that aviation has three types: civil, state And experimental . Civil includes civil, civil commercial and general aviation. With the first two, I think it’s clear, but “general purpose” is all kinds of useful work, such as: agricultural work, medical assistance, police assistance, private and corporate flights, training, etc. Experimental aviation is used to carry out various experimental work and test equipment (including aviation). And the state one is military aviation and state aviation special purpose , such as, for example, the aviation of the Ministry of Emergency Situations or there is also the aviation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to carry out various special tasks. Interestingly, both government and experimental aircraft can also be used for commercial purposes. This is defined in the above code.

Transportnik AN-12

The well-known passenger Boeing 737

This is how it all sounds officially. And now, without looking at the regulatory documents, I will add something else on my own. With civil aviation, everything is more or less clear. These are passenger, transport and cargo-passenger. Their functions are clear to everyone. And their brightest representatives are, for example, the hard workers TU-154 and Boeing-737, An-12 and Il-76.
As for general aviation, although this name is spelled out in the code, there are other definitions next to it, and sometimes it is not always clear which of them includes the other. We won’t go into this, I’ll just mention a few, or rather their names, that are now used in aviation practice.

Business aviation aircraft cabin interior.

It has existed abroad for quite a long time, but in Russia the so-called business aviation or “Business aviation” in the Anglo-American version. These are usually special aircraft (and, of course, their technical maintenance complex) with low capacity, but quite a lot of comfort :-). They are used for individual and corporate flights and, of course, for providing special services. One of the representatives is the Gulfstream G500.

Airplane Yak-52.

Sports Yak-55M

Sports SU-26M.

Honored AN-2

Further, we can distinguish sports aviation and initial training aviation. In other words, the Aero Club one. These are the airplanes and helicopters on which people learn to fly and further improve their flying skills. In Russia, the system of flying clubs was completely destroyed during the process of revolutionary transformations, from perestroika onwards. But something remains and is now even slowly developing. Our representatives of this type of aviation are mainly the Yak-52, Yak-55, SU-26 and the hard worker Yak-18T. Of course, the AN-2 is also used in this system (mainly for auxiliary purposes, for example, for the removal of paratroopers). Abroad, these are most often the Cessna-172, Piper PA-28 Warrior and Robinson R-22.

Piper PA-28 Warrior

Robinson R-22 helicopter

Naturally, all these aircraft are also used for commercial cargo and passenger purposes. After all, flying clubs are mostly private. And just one plane can be privately owned. Then a person who has a private pilot's license can fly it for his own purposes (even just for fun :-)). But this, however, applies more to the USA and Western countries. In Russia, there is neither a legislative framework nor technical and financial capabilities for this yet. What a pity... It would be nice to have such a “family airplane” and fly on it on weekends to visit another city :-).

In connection with the above, it must be said that in general, such a concept as small aircraft . This concept is not clearly defined by law (although, in my opinion, it is closest to general aviation), but usually small aircraft have a low take-off weight (usually up to 9000 kg) and carry no more than 18 passengers. Of course, small aviation also includes the entire service infrastructure, i.e. airfields, air traffic control systems, maintenance. There are now more and more small aircraft around the world. In the USA, for example, there are already more than 280 thousand of them registered. Accordingly, the number of runways and sites is growing. According to statistics, more than 80% of everything that flies in the world operates in small aviation. That is, small aviation is conquering the world :-). That's it. But let's leave it alone and get back to serious things :-).

Although I, in fact, have already listed everything. But it is definitely worth saying that some people stand apart from this division military aviation(even though it is part of the state). The fact is that she herself also has species, and in addition, some of them are also divided into genera. Quite an interesting division and this is the topic of another article, or rather the second part of the article about types of aviation.

Photos are clickable.

Today there are quite a few different aircraft, but not all of them are called airplanes. This term refers to any aircraft that is designed to fly in the sky due to a power plant that creates thrust and a wing that remains motionless at all times. It is the fixed wing that is the main characteristic of the aircraft, distinguishing it from any other aircraft.

This term itself appeared back in 1857 - then a Russian pilot called a balloon that way; there were no airplanes in the sense in which we use this word today. It was mentioned in a meaning close to its modern one a few years later - in 1863. It was an article “Aeronautics”, published in 1863 in the magazine “Voice”. The author was journalist Arkady Evald.

Today there are a huge number of aircraft classifications. For example, by the number of wings, by the aerodynamic system, by the type of chassis and by speed.

In this text we will look at one of the main typologies. Any aircraft, first of all, are divided by purpose. They are civilian, military and experimental. Each of these categories, in turn, is also divided into several types.

As is obvious from the name itself, these are aircraft designed to transport passengers or cargo. The first flight on an aircraft of this type took place in Russia more than a hundred years ago - in 1914. The flight was made from St. Petersburg to Kyiv, and the plane was called “Ilya Muromets”. There were 16 passengers on board.

Today, the most famous and frequently used airliner of our time is the American Douglas DC-3 model. He first flew with passengers back in 1935. Over the past time, the aircraft has been improved, and many other models, including those of Soviet aviation, were created on its basis.

Civil aircraft can be transport, training or special purpose. Transport vehicles, in turn, are divided into according to their purpose:

Freight - for transporting goods;
Passenger planes are the planes we fly;

There are many varieties of such vehicles. The easiest way is to divide them simply by manufacturer. In fact, the vast majority of the world's aircraft are produced by such companies:

Boeing

This is an American company that appeared a long time ago, in 1916. Since then, it has been producing aircraft for civil aviation. The most popular model is the Boeing 737. It is this aircraft, produced in 1968, that is used most often today. The name “Boeing” itself has already become practically synonymous with the word airplane.

Airbus

This company today is the main competitor of the Boeing described above, although it was founded much later - in 1970. This European company, today its main office is located in France. Some models of this manufacturer are economical, which makes them a serious competitor to Boeing.

Military

Military aircraft are designed to conduct combat operations, that is, protection from the enemy or, conversely, attack. They are divided into several types, but in general, they can perform a variety of tasks - depending on the current situation.

Bombers

This subspecies of military aircraft essentially has one task - to destroy any ground targets from the air. This occurs by dropping bombs or missiles on the target. Today there are many different models, among the most commonly used are the Su-24 and Su-34.

It was the bomber that was converted into the first passenger aircraft, the Ilya Muromets, which was discussed above. During the First World War, the aircraft was re-equipped and subsequently it always served as a bomber.

Fighters

Unlike bombers, such aircraft are used for air combat. The name “fighter” sounds loud and menacing, but in fact such aircraft belong to defense equipment. They are almost never used for offensive purposes. Fighters were actively used by both sides during the Second World War - the most famous models are the MiG-3 and Yak-1.

It is interesting that in the very first models of fighters, it was not a machine gun, as it is today, but a revolver, so the rate of fire was much lower.

Fighter-bombers

Naturally, the two models described above were combined to obtain a universal model that combines the functions of both types. The main advantage of this variety is the ability to bomb any ground targets without any cover at all. Such aircraft are very light, maneuverable and equipped with powerful weapons. The most successful models are Mig-27, Su-17, SEPECAT Jaguar.

Interceptors

In fact, this is not a completely separate class, just a subtype of fighter. The main difference is that interceptors are designed to destroy a specific target, namely enemy bombers. They are also slightly different in structure - such models are additionally equipped with radar equipment. famous models - Su-15, Su-9 and others.

The purpose of attack aircraft is to support ground forces from the air. They were also often used simply to destroy various objects. The most popular model is called Il-2 and this aircraft is the most mass-produced in history - almost 37 thousand units were produced.

Knows a very large number of aircraft of various types and types. It is unlikely that it will even be possible to list all the names of the aircraft. However, it is quite possible to cover the main models. Let's find out how aircraft are classified, their types, types, and names will also be considered.

Names

Let's take a look at the list of names of the main foreign aircraft manufacturers in alphabetical order. The list includes both currently existing companies and abolished ones:

Aérospatiale (France).
Airbus (EU).
Boeing (USA).
British Aerospace (UK).
British Aircraft (UK).
Heinkel (Germany).
Junkers (Germany).
McDonnell Douglas (USA).
Messerschmitt (Germany).

The names of aircraft in alphabetical order, produced in the USSR and post-Soviet countries, are given below:

An (Antonov).
And (Polikarpov).
La (Lavochkin).
LaGG (Lavochkin, Gorbunov, Gudkov).
Lee (Lisunov).
MiG (Mikoyan and Gurevich).
Po (Polikarpov).
Su (Sukhoi).
Tu (Tupolev).
Yak (Yakovlev).

How are airplanes classified?

First of all, let's find out what types of planes there are. The names of aircraft can tell a lot, but the classification will tell us even more. How are aircraft classified? This is done according to the following parameters:

by appointment;
speed;
number of engines;
type of engines;
chassis type;
weight;
number of wings;
fuselage size;
type of management;
takeoff form.

We will now dwell on some of the above points in more detail.

Classification by purpose

It is considered the most common. According to this indicator, all aircraft were divided into two major types: military and civilian. In addition, each of these groups has its own division into smaller categories.

In accordance with the specific functional affiliation, military aircraft are classified into the following specialized categories: bombers, interceptor aircraft, fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, military transport ships, fighter-bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft.

In civil aviation, flight devices are divided into the following categories: passenger, agricultural, transport, postal, experimental, etc.

Bombers

The bomber's mission is to hit targets on the ground. They do this with bombs and missiles.

Now let's find out the names of military aircraft. Among the bombers, the following domestically produced models can be distinguished: Su-24, Tu-160, Su-34. During the Second World War, the domestic Pe-2 bomber was especially famous. But the very first can be called the famous “Ilya Muromets” - the creation of the great designer Igor Sikorsky. This device took off for the first time in 1913. During the First World War, it was converted into a bomber. Ilya Muromets aircraft were also used during the Civil War.

Among foreign aircraft we can highlight modern American strategic bombers Northrop B-2 Spirit, XB-70 Valkyrie, Rockwell B-1 Lancer, B-2, B-52 Stratofortress, US aircraft of the 30s Boeing B-17 and Martin B- 10, World War II-era German bombers Junkers Ju 86 and Heinkel He 111.

Fighters

The main task of these devices is to destroy aircraft and other objects that are in the air.

The names of fighter aircraft will also tell a lot to a military connoisseur. The most famous Soviet models of the Second World War period are LaGG-3, I-15 bis, MiG-3, I-16, I-153, Yak-1. In the same era, the German Bf.109, Bf.110 and Fw 190 aircraft, as well as the Me.262, Me.163 Komet and He 162 Volksjager jets, gained world fame.

Among Soviet fighters of a later era, the MiG-31, Su-27 and MiG-29 should be highlighted. Modern Russian aircraft are currently filling the skies. Their names are well known to aviation specialists. These are 4++ generation fighters Su-35 and Mig-35.

Modern American models include the world's first generation five fighter, the Boeing F-22, as well as the earlier F-4 and F-15 Eagle models.

Fighter-bombers

They combine the functions of the first two categories of aircraft we described. That is, they destroy both air and ground targets.

The first fighter-bombers are considered to be the German Me.262, a modified model of the British Supermarine Spitfire fighter, the De Havilland Mosquito, and the Soviet Yak-9.

The first of the above models was released in 1968, and today it is the most popular of all passenger aircraft. The Boeing 747, produced a year later, is a pioneer among wide-body airliners. Boeing 747-8 is the longest passenger aircraft. It was released in 2010. Today, the Boeing 777, produced since 1994, has gained the greatest popularity in the passenger aviation market. The corporation's newest model at the moment is the Boeing 787, built in 2009.

"Airbus"

As mentioned earlier, Boeing's main competitor in the global market is the European company Airbus, whose central office is located in France. It was founded much later than its American rival - in 1970. The most famous names of the aircraft of this company are A300, A320, A380 and A350 XWB.

Launched in 1972, the A300 is the very first wide-body, twin-engine aircraft. The A320, manufactured in 1988, was the first in the world to use fly-by-wire control. The A380 aircraft, which first took to the skies in 2005, is the largest in the world. It is capable of carrying up to 480 passengers. The company's latest development is the A350 XWB. Its main task was to compete with the previously released Boeing 787. And this airliner successfully copes with this task, outperforming its rival in terms of efficiency.

The Soviet passenger aviation industry was also represented at a decent level. Most of the models are Aeroflot aircraft. Names of the main brands: Tu, Il, An and Yak.

The first domestic jet airliner was the Tu-104, released in 1955. The Tu-154, which first took off in 1972, is considered the most popular Soviet passenger aircraft. The 1968 Tu-144 acquired legendary status as the world's first airliner that managed to break the sound barrier. It could reach speeds of up to 2.5 thousand km/h, and this record has not been broken to this day. At the moment, the last operating model of the airliner developed by the Tupolev design bureau is the Tu-204 aircraft produced in 1990, as well as its modification Tu-214.

Naturally, besides Tu, there are other Aeroflot aircraft. The names of the most popular: An-24, An-28, Yak-40 and Yak-42.

Airliners from other countries of the world

In addition to those mentioned above, there are models worthy of attention from other manufacturers of passenger aircraft.

The British De Havilland Comet, launched in 1949, is the world's first jet airliner. The French-British airliner Concorde, developed in 1969, became widely known. It went down in history due to the fact that it is the second successful attempt (after the Tu-144) to create a supersonic passenger aircraft. Moreover, until now, these two airliners are unique in this regard, since so far no one else has been able to produce a passenger aircraft suitable for mass operation that can travel faster than sound.

Transport workers

The main purpose of transport aircraft is to transport cargo over long distances.

Among the devices of this type, it is necessary to identify Western models of passenger aircraft, modified for transport needs: Douglas MD-11F, and Boeing 747-8F.

But the Soviet and now Ukrainian design bureau named after Antonov became most famous in the production of transport aircraft. It produces aircraft that constantly break world records for carrying capacity: An-22 1965 (carrying capacity - 60 tons), An-124 1984 (carrying capacity - 120 tons), An-225 1988 (carries 253, 8 t). The latest model still holds the unbroken record for carrying capacity. In addition, it was planned to be used to transport the Soviet Buran shuttles, but with the collapse of the USSR, the project remained unrealized.

In the Russian Federation, everything is not so rosy with transport aviation. The names of Russian aircraft are as follows: Il-76, Il-112 and Il-214. But the problem is that the IL-76 currently being produced was developed back in Soviet times, in 1971, and the rest are planned to be launched only in 2017.

Agricultural aircraft

There are aircraft whose tasks include treating fields with pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals. This type of aircraft is called agricultural.

Among the Soviet models of these devices, the U-2 and An-2 are known, which, due to the specifics of their use, were popularly called “corn trucks”.

Division by speed

In addition to the classification of aircraft by purpose, which we studied in detail above, there are other types of ranking. These include classification by flight speed. Based on this criterion, aircraft are divided into the following categories: subsonic, transonic aircraft, supersonic aircraft and hypersonic.

It is not difficult to understand that subsonic aircraft move slower than sound. Transonic aircraft fly at speeds close to the speed of sound, supersonic aircraft exceed this speed, and hypersonic aircraft exceed this speed by more than five times.

At the moment, the experimental hypersonic vehicle from the USA X-43A 2001 is considered the fastest in the world. It can reach a speed of 11,200 km/h. In second place is his compatriot X-15, released back in 1959. The speed is 7273 km/h. If we talk not about experimental devices, but about those aircraft that perform specific tasks, then the American SR-71, capable of reaching speeds of up to 3530 km/h, takes the lead. Among domestic aircraft, the supersonic MiG-25 should be highlighted. Its maximum speed can reach 3000 km/h.

In passenger aviation, things are much worse with speed. To date, only two supersonic airliners have been produced: the domestic Tu-144 (1968) and the French-English Concorde (1969). The first of them can reach speeds of up to 2.5 thousand km/h, which is a civil aviation record, but among aircraft of all purposes this is only the tenth place. It should also be noted that at the moment there is not a single supersonic airliner that is in operation, since the use of the Tu-144 was abandoned back in 1978, and the use of the Concorde was stopped in 2003.

Hypersonic passenger aircraft never existed at all. True, there are now several projects from both domestic and foreign design bureaus for the production of a hypersonic airliner. Among them, the most famous is the European ZEHST. This aircraft will be capable of reaching speeds of up to 5.0 thousand km/h, but the timing of its creation is unclear. There are two similar projects in Russia - Tu-244 and Tu-444, but at the moment both of them are frozen.

Other types of classification

Based on the number of engines, aircraft have a ranking from one to twelve engines.

Based on engine type, aircraft are divided into the following categories: electric, piston, turboprop, jet, rocket, and combined engine.

Based on the type of landing gear, aircraft are classified as follows: wheeled, ski-mounted, hovercraft, tracked, float-mounted, amphibious. Naturally, aircraft with wheeled landing gear are most common.

By weight, aircraft are divided into super-light, light, medium-weight, heavy and super-heavy aircraft.

According to the number of wings, in the direction of decreasing their number, aircraft are divided into polyplanes, triplanes, biplanes, sesquiplanes and monoplanes.

There is also a classification based on fuselage size: narrow-body and wide-body.

According to the classification of control type, aircraft are divided into manned and unmanned.

According to the take-off form, all aircraft can be divided into the following categories: vertical take-off, horizontal take-off and short take-off.

Manifold

We learned what the classification of aircraft is, their types, types, and names were also considered. As you can see, there are a very large number of models that perform different functions and have very different technical characteristics. The world of aviation is truly multifaceted, and one review cannot describe absolutely all its aspects.

Nevertheless, we can give a general idea on this issue by describing the most famous aircraft that have gone down in history. The types and names, despite their numerousness, can still be systematized in a certain way in order to clarify the essence of this topic.

There are two main types: military And civilian. Constructions of the first type are used to perform various strategic tasks, mainly for defense or, conversely, the destruction of military installations. Within this family, a complex network has been formed, consisting of a complex system of subgroups. Civil airliners are passenger and cargo; the main types of aircraft are discussed in more detail below.

It is worth noting that there are many groups based on various characteristics and it is impossible to single out the most common one. Thus, there are the following classifications of aircraft: by aerodynamic design, by tail, by the number and type of wings, and so on.

It is impossible to consider all classifications within the framework of one article. Moreover, a huge amount of literature is devoted to a detailed description of the classifications and types of aircraft. Therefore, here we will consider the most common division.

Perhaps it’s worth starting with equipment used for strategic purposes, since there are more types in this category. Mostly such aircraft can be seen at parades dedicated to Great Victory Day, in films or in museums.