Hello flyers, Lissette here for DNews. Flying scares the bejesus out of some people but

哈囉，各位飛行員，我是DNews 的Lissette。飛行常會嚇破一些人的膽，但是

it’s actually one of the safest ways to travel. That’s because along with the regular

實際上，它卻是最安全的旅行方式之一。因為隨著飛機都得定期

aircraft inspections, strict regulations, and thousands of hours of training pilots undergo

接受檢查，嚴格的法規，以及歷經受訓數千小時的機師

the aircrafts themselves are made to withstand some pretty incredible challenges.

而飛機本身也是用經得起重大挑戰的材料所製成

The wings of the Boeing 787, for example, are engineered to withstand one and a half

舉例來說，波音787的機翼，就以忍受1.5倍

times the most extreme forces it would ever meet in flight.

在空中可能碰到的極端外力來設計

There are a lot of things that go into making the wing that strong, like its design and

許多東西融入機翼，使它變得堅固無比，像是它的設計和

construction. But the most important factor is the materials used. Materials are where

結構，但最最重要的因素是它使用的材料。材料是所有

everything starts and they determine how easy a part is to machine or weld, how strong it

設備的起源以及決定機器和焊接部分是否容易使用，包括強度

is, how flexible it is, how it behaves at different temperatures, how it stands up to

如何，柔靭度如何，在不同溫度底下的表現，抗腐蝕性

corrosion, and how much it weighs. These are all factors aeronautical engineers have to

，以及它的重量，航空引擎有太多的因素

consider when they’re designing different parts. And for decades,

需要考量，尤其當一架飛機使用不同元件。過去數十年

aluminum was the go-to material.

鋁屬於萬用材質

Forty years ago, aluminum could make up as much as 70% of an aircraft. Aluminum, though

40年前，單單用鋁可以打造飛機的70%。雖然鋁的

half as strong as titanium, is lighter and, more importantly, much cheaper. It gets stronger

強度是鈦的一半，也更輕，更重要的是，它更便宜。它在低溫下

at colder temperature but stays ductile, and has it’s own anti-corrosion mechanism. Today’s

變得更堅固，但依舊保持延展性，並且有其抗腐蝕的機制。今日的

jets are only 20% pure aluminum, but the metal is still present in abundance, it’s just

噴射機只使用20%的純鋁，但這類的金屬仍大量使用。只是它

mixed with other metals to form alloys. Aluminum has so many alloys it’s hard to keep track

混合進其它金屬形成合金了。鋁有太多合金形式以致無法追蹤

of all of them even though they’re numbered. The most common one used for airplanes is

到全部，甚至難以計算。最普遍使用在機身上的稱為

7075, which uses a little zinc, magnesium, and copper as well as trace amounts of manganese,

7075，它使用了一點鋅、鎂和銅，以及微量的錳。

silicon, iron, titanium, and other metals. The result is an alloy that’s as strong

矽、鐵、鈦和其他金屬，其結果是一種合金強靭有如

as steel, but isn’t too difficult to shape, drill, or weld.

鋼鐵，但不是太難塑形、鑽孔或焊接。

Techniques and technology for machining metals is improving - making other alloys available,

加工金屬的相關技術和科技仍在提昇 - 以做出其他合金，

that were previously too hard to work with. New alloys like titanium aluminide are replacing

以前難以處理的工作。像鈦鋁等新型合金更在取代

older nickel based alloys that were twice as heavy but just as heat resistant. In some

兩倍重量、並以鎳基為基礎的舊合金，但卻同樣耐熱。而一些

parts of the engine metals are being replaced altogether by parts that use ceramics reinforced

用在發動機的金屬零件，目前也全部遭到陶瓷零件完全取代

with silicon-carbides. The benefit of these lightweight parts is that engines can operate

其中並以矽碳化物來強化。這些輕質元件的好處是，讓發動機可以

at higher temperatures and run more efficiently. Reducing weight anywhere in the aircraft is

更高溫和更有效率方式來運作，設法在飛機的任何地方減重

always a goal because it means the jet has to use less power to move - saving fuel. In the last decade, aircraft

一直都是目標，因為它意味著飛機可以使用更少的馬力來移動 - 節省燃料。過去十年中，飛機

makers have gotten even more clever with their materials in the pursuit of lightness.

製造商已經變得更加聰明，在追求

Composite materials were first used for light structural or cabin

材料輕化上。複合材料首次被用在輕型結構或機艙

components, but more recently, they’ve taken over metal for some serious structural parts, too.

零件，但是最近，他們同樣已接手處理一些重要的金屬結構元件

Composites are incredibly light and strong, and can be molded into complex shapes. This

複合材料已達令人難以置信的輕化和強固，並可塑造成複雜形狀。 這個

reduces the need for heavy fasteners or joints, which are potential failure points. Boeing’s

以減少重要的扣件或接頭的需求，而這些正是潛在的故障點。波音公司

787 dreamliner was the first commercial aircraft to use composites extensively. It has kevlar

787夢幻機型是第一個大量使用複合材料的商用飛機。它的機翼上具有克维拉

honeycombs in the wings to make them light, flexible, and strong. The 787 also used carbon

蜂巢式設計，使它們更輕、彈性並且更強靭。 787也採用碳

fiber to strengthen the fuselage. This saves weight, and as a bonus, the cabin can be pressurized

纖維來強化機身。如此不但減輕重量，並帶來機艙可加壓的好處

more than previous aircraft, and composites can tolerate higher humidities without corroding…

比起以前的飛機，而複合材料能耐受更高濕度而不會腐蝕...

making the ride more comfortable. Carbon fiber was also used in the engine housing to trap

讓搭乘更加舒適。碳纖維可用在發動機殼用於吸收

sound and make aircraft quieter.

噪音，並使飛機更安靜

But engineers are never satisfied. They’re are constantly coming up with new alloys,

但工程師們永遠不會滿足。他們不斷推出新合金，

designs, and construction techniques to make aircrafter harder, better, faster, stronger.

設計和施工技術，要使客機更堅固、更好、更快，更強化。

HRL laboratories, in a joint venture with Boeing, recently developed the lightest metal ever.

波音公司的合資公司HRL實驗室，最近開發出歷來最輕的金屬

The metal is arranged in a microlattice structure which means it’s about 99.99%

這種金屬被佈放在「微晶格」的結構內，意味著它有99.99％

air. A light flexible material like this could be used inside the cabin and save even more

空氣，像這樣的輕柔性材料可以使用在機艙上，並節省更多

weight on future aircraft.

未來飛機的重量

So that’s the technology making modern aircraft awesome. But what about future spacecraft?

所以，科技讓現代航空器變得更棒。但未來航空器會變成怎樣？

What do we need to develop before we can rule the galaxy? Julian talks about that here.

在我們能主宰銀河系之前，需要發展什麼？朱利安會在這裡跟大家討論。

Now that you know what planes are made of, does that make you more confident in flying,

現在你知道飛機是什麼製成的，而這是否讓你在搭機時更加自信，

or do you still get the shakes?

還是讓你怕怕的?