Metal for Aerospace and Aircraft Structures: Alloy Selection Guide

Short answer: Aircraft lean on a short list of qualified metals: 2024 and 7075 aluminium for skins and spars, titanium and Inconel for hot or fatigue-critical parts, and ultra-clean steel for landing gear, each supplied to aerospace material specifications with full traceability.

At a Glance

Why Aerospace Is a Metals Problem

Every kilogram saved in the air frame pays back across the life of the aircraft, so alloys are chosen for strength-to-weight first and then qualified for fatigue and corrosion. Our 7075 vs 6061, 2024 vs 7075 y 7075 Properties guides show the trade-offs buyers weigh.

Aluminium: The Workhorse

2024-T3 skins and 7075-T6 spars still dominate the primary structure because no other low-cost metal beats their strength-to-weight. Compare families in our Aluminium Alloy Series Guide; 6061 and 5083 appear in less critical structures — see 6061 Properties y 5083 Properties.

Titanium and Nickel Alloys

Titanium Ti-6Al-4V earns its place in fasteners and engine-adjacent parts through low density and corrosion immunity, while nickel alloys such as Inconel 718 hold strength hot — covered in our Titanium Grade 2 vs 5 y Inconel Supplier pages, with the creep angle in our Creep Guide.

Design Drivers: Fatigue, Creep and Toughness

Aircraft parts fail from cycles, not just load, so designers quote fatigue limits and fracture toughness, not just ultimate strength. Our Fatigue Guide, Fracture Toughness Guide y Vibration Fatigue Guide explain the numbers that gate qualification.

Specifying and Sourcing

Aerospace buyers specify alloy, temper, heat-treat and AMS or EN standard on the purchase order and expect mill test reports. Our How to Choose a Metal Supplier y Mill Test Certificate Guide cover what to put in an RFQ.

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