By Paul Robinson


An aircraft engine is a mechanical component used by planes to produce a thrust force. A plane can stay in the air due to four forces. These are drag, thrust, lift and gravity. A balance of these forces is necessary to keep the craft in the air. The thrust force gets produced by the plane and part of it is used to provide lift. The following is a general guide on aircraft engine accessories.

There are several types of engines based on the mode of operation. Each type has its advantages and limits which apply to different situations. The most common types are the turbojet and turboprop engines. They fall under reaction engines. Another category is the piston engines. They are similar to the automotive engines but were replaced due to their weight issues.

The motivation has been the desire to fly planes at much higher altitudes which means covering larger distances. The fuel use has also been significantly improved. Latest advancements include the ramjets and the electric aircraft engine. Research is still being done as there are no limits in the design and production of better parts and accessories.

Before 1933, all planes used lightweight piston engines. They were quickly replaced by jets which provided a higher power to weight ratio. Today the aircraft industry is dominated by these machines. They compress air at the inlet which is then mixed with fuel and combusted. The sudden expansion results in exhaust gases with very high pressures and temperatures. A nozzle at the exit is used to control the release of these gases to produce the driving force or thrust.

For helicopters and low altitude planes, turboprops are more suitable. For high altitude aircraft, turbojets are the best option. A turboprop has rotors mounted on the main drive shaft. Much of the power from the combustion zone is used to power these rotors. For a turbojet, the forward motion is produced at the nozzle, and much of the exhaust power is used there. Its advantage is the resulting streamline flow that generates higher flight speeds.

In the first region, you will find components that relate to compressors. These include blades, rotors, suction ducts, intercoolers and many more. Air compression is done at several stages. There are also gears and bearings that help in transmitting and receiving mechanical motion. Due to compression, the air tends to become very hot, and a cooling system is used to reduce the intake air temperature. The combustion zone is the next stage from there.

The turbines are made up of numerous rotating blades that expand the gases while extracting some of the energy. This energy is used to power the compressors or drive the rotor or propeller. At the turbine exits, there are the afterburners which combust the remaining air-fuel mixture to produce more power. The nozzle converts the energy from the exhaust gases into thrust force. Numerous accessories assist the entire process.

These accessories are classified into the following categories. These are the alternator, carburetor, controllers, engine mounts, fuel system, ignition kits, filters and drain systems, starters, spark plugs, turbochargers and pumps.




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