Hist 130
Jet Engines and Fuel
HISTORY 130
Name
ERAU
The technology behind jet aircraft power has essentially contained two major components. Those are the jet aircraft engine and its fuel. Less than a hundred years after the Wright brothers flew that faithful flight, technology has exploded in jet aircraft engines. We can now fly at altitudes and speeds the first aviators would never imagine. One can only imagine what the future holds for the technology of tomorrow. (Bilstein) One of the greatest contributions of World War II to the airline business most experts would agree was higher octane aviation fuels. Because of the mass production of higher octane fuels for the war effort the price and availability of high octane aviation fuel had increased dramatically. The need for a better engines and fuel were becoming more and more evident. (Bilstein) Early proponents of the jet engine claimed that these new engines could operate on any fuel from whiskey to peanut butter. Although jet engines are much more tolerant than gasoline and diesel engines, the aircraft and engine fuel system are sensitive to the chemical and physical properties of the fuel. Early advances in engine and aircraft design greatly expanded the flight envelope which necessitated new standards for turbine engine fuel quality. This led to the introduction of a variety of fuel types for different purposes and to the development of specifications to ensure the fuel met equipment requirements under all flight conditions. (BP) The He 178, using the He S3B engine, made its maiden flight on 27 August 1939. In subsequent tests it reached 400 mph. It was without a doubt the world 's first jet aircraft. Its designers were Dr. Hertel, Siegfried Günter (later designed MiG 15 in Russia), Karl Schwaerzler. (Wagner) The first US jet was the Bell XP-59A which made its maiden flight in October of 1942. It maximum speed was 380 mph. Because of its low performance and high fuel burn, it
HISTORY 130
Name
ERAU
The technology behind jet aircraft power has essentially contained two major components. Those are the jet aircraft engine and its fuel. Less than a hundred years after the Wright brothers flew that faithful flight, technology has exploded in jet aircraft engines. We can now fly at altitudes and speeds the first aviators would never imagine. One can only imagine what the future holds for the technology of tomorrow. (Bilstein) One of the greatest contributions of World War II to the airline business most experts would agree was higher octane aviation fuels. Because of the mass production of higher octane fuels for the war effort the price and availability of high octane aviation fuel had increased dramatically. The need for a better engines and fuel were becoming more and more evident. (Bilstein) Early proponents of the jet engine claimed that these new engines could operate on any fuel from whiskey to peanut butter. Although jet engines are much more tolerant than gasoline and diesel engines, the aircraft and engine fuel system are sensitive to the chemical and physical properties of the fuel. Early advances in engine and aircraft design greatly expanded the flight envelope which necessitated new standards for turbine engine fuel quality. This led to the introduction of a variety of fuel types for different purposes and to the development of specifications to ensure the fuel met equipment requirements under all flight conditions. (BP) The He 178, using the He S3B engine, made its maiden flight on 27 August 1939. In subsequent tests it reached 400 mph. It was without a doubt the world 's first jet aircraft. Its designers were Dr. Hertel, Siegfried Günter (later designed MiG 15 in Russia), Karl Schwaerzler. (Wagner) The first US jet was the Bell XP-59A which made its maiden flight in October of 1942. It maximum speed was 380 mph. Because of its low performance and high fuel burn, it
References: (Air Bp 20001231 History of Jet Fuel)Air Bp. (2000, December 31). The History of Jet Fuel. Retrieved June 27, 2008, from http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=4503664&contentId=57733 (Wagner W E 1998 First Jet Aircraft)Wagner, W. E. (1998). The First Jet Aircraft. New York: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. Bilstein (2001) (Bilstein R E 2001 Flight in America)Bilstein, R. E. (2001). Flight in America (3rd ed., Rev.). Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press.