Development of alloys and materials have played a significant role in
the development of aircraft. The development of duraluminium which has
still a lion's:;hare of the percentage of the airframe weight was dev
eloped a few years after Wright brothers first flight of the powered a
ircraft in 1903. With increased demands for higher strength, structura
l integrity with minimum weight catalysed the development of a number
of high strength aluminium alloys, special steels, Mg. alloys, a varie
ty of composite materials. Engine temperatures have steadily increased
from 150 degrees C in the early water cooled engines to over 1100 deg
rees C in today's Turbojet engines and may So well beyond 2000 degrees
C in the advanced jet engines planned for the future aircraft. The fu
ture supersonic/hypersonic aircraft would pose challenge for even the
airframe materials as the skill temperature at such high speeds will h
e of the order of 250 degrees-300 degrees C. New requirements such as
stealth characteristics, smart/intelligence characteristics are being
sought now in addition to the traditional properties, such as high str
ength to weight ratio, high stiffness, higher fatigue strength, fractu
re toughness, lower rate of crack propagation and environmental tolera
nce, etc. Therefore demand for the development of newer, smarter and i
ntelligent materials is assuming greater significance. These are met b
y development of newer alloys and materials, engineered materials such
as reinforced plastic composites and new process technologies, This p
aper tracts development of materials and applications front early airc
raft to modern jumbojet and projecting to the future both for aircraft
and engine materials.