When we step onboard the aeroplane and jet off to the sun for our holidays, most of us don’t think about the huge amount of work that goes into building a modern passenger jet. Building an aeroplane is one of the most important jobs to get exactly right – you may have seen air crash investigation and seen what happens when an aeroplane fails, so it has to be rigorously checked and monitored to ensure that safety standards are met.
Parts of each aircraft are often constructed in different locations, specialising in the design and engineering of these particular parts. They are required to meet safety criteria, and the rules are tough – nothing gets through if it has failed even the most minor of things – as this could make all the difference to how the plane handles and crucially flies!
There are many other things that the parts of an aircraft must go through before they are assembled, as well as the safety checks – these include things like surface treatments, to ensure that the materials are more resistant and better equipped for the often difficult job that they will have – after all, a big passenger plane carries hundreds of passengers and all of their luggage, as well as the equipment needed to fly the plane!
Once the plane has been assembled, it is then tested some more – it undergoes a series of rigorous tests before it can be sold and used to take passengers off on their holidays!