Introduction
In the 1930s, it became obvious that the conventional type of aircraft with a piston engine and propeller approached the limit of its capabilities. The aircraft, which existed in that form for almost half a century, exhausted itself in the sense of the possibility of further progress. The desire to increase the speed and altitude of flights forced scientists and designers to look intensively for new ways to develop aviation. As a result, through the experiments and efforts of many aircraft manufacturers, the era of jet aviation began, which made a genuine technical revolution. The world’s first passenger jet aircraft appeared only in the middle of the last century, when the development of aviation continued actively, although the first jet fuel engine was successfully tested back in the 1930s (Millbrooke 38). Due to World War II, particular attention was paid primarily to military aircraft, and after the war ended, engineers began to construct passenger liners. The advent of the jet engine in civil aviation marked the transition to faster and more convenient passenger transportation, thus ushering in a new era in the aircraft industry.
Prerequisites for the Development of the Jet Engine
The many unresolved issues in the use of the steam engine marked the need for more technically efficient solutions, which eventually led to the advent of the jet engine. Obsolete liners could not fly at high altitudes and were characterized by a relatively low speed of movement, which was not only unsafe but also unprofitable (Millbrooke 74). Interest in the idea of a jet aircraft arose largely due to the fact that the thrust of such an engine was independent of flight altitude. In this regard, the first practical work on the creation of new constructions, which began in Germany in the late 1920s, was considered a step toward stratospheric aviation (Decher 36). However, rocket engines whose experimental flight models already existed in the 1930s were uneconomical and had an extremely short duration of operation for use on civil aircraft (Decher 49). Therefore, the most suitable type of power plant seemed to be an air-jet engine, which, despite the first unsuccessful attempts at testing, closely entered the civil aviation industry. Thus, the aspects of economy, safety, and performance were the key drivers for developing new types of engines.
Better Fuel Consumption Outlook
When speaking about the aspect of ecology, traditional steam engines running on combusted fuel caused enormous harm to the environment. Although the issue of climate change did not fascinate humanity at that time, the awareness of the damage caused was one of the incentives for the development of a new design. Modern jet aircraft use renewable energy sources, which is effective not only from an economic standpoint but also from the perspective of reducing the harmful impact on the environment (Yakovlieva et al. 231). Kroyan et al. opined that jet fuel, especially its early alternatives, was characterized by high viscosity, which negatively affected performance due to poor atomization (7). Nevertheless, even those developments proved to be more efficient than the obsolete mechanisms of using engines operating on the principle of the internal combustion. Particular attention to fuel safety began to be paid in the 1970s when projects were approved for the development of more environmentally friendly and less noisy jet engines (Decher 158). Those solutions marked the emergence of aircraft that were characterized by high speed, the ability to fly high, and significantly less environmental damage, which were real achievements.
Political Incentives for the Transition to Jet Engines
Along with technical, economic, and environmental aspects, political incentives were also critical in the move toward jet engine development. Bednarek considers the second half of the 20th century, namely the period of the Cold War, and notes the technological race between the USA and the USSR, which determined the emergence of many scientific developments (584). The energy sector today is closely associated with geopolitical nuances and the distribution of influence of individual states in the international arena. In this regard, the development of alternative fuel production mechanisms is a tool for achieving political advantage through the optimization of national aviation sectors (Yakovlieva et al. 232). At the same time, modern opportunities offer more flexible ways of development. In the 1970s-1980s, political determinants were decisive in the development of the airline industry because tensions between superpowers called for caution (Bednarek 534). Today, economic factors weigh more heavily in determining the potential of national aviation sectors. Therefore, the widespread use of jet engines in civil aviation at the present stage is a consequence of a market economy in which making a profit and addressing customer needs are more important than interstate competition.
Conclusion
The transition to a new era in civil aviation with faster and more convenient air travel was largely due to the introduction of a jet engine in the production of aircraft. Outdated steam engines could not cope with the growing demand and, in addition, caused great damage to the environment. Jet engines have higher technical characteristics and are less harmful. Their mass development was largely due to political tensions in the second half of the 20th century. Today, the massive demand for air travel and the need to achieve a competitive advantage from an economic perspective are the main drivers of jet aircraft production.
Works Cited
Bednarek, Janet R. Daly. “Civil Aviation and the Globalization of the Cold War by Peter Svik.” Technology and Culture, vol. 63, no. 2, 2022, pp. 583-585.
Decher, Reiner. Powering the World’s Airliners: Engine Developments from the Propeller to the Jet Age. Air World, 2020.
Kroyan, Yuri, et al. “Modeling the Impact of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Properties on End-Use Performance and Emissions in Aircraft Jet Engines.” Energy, vol. 255, 2022, pp. 1-17.
Millbrooke, Anne. Aviation History. Jeppesen, 2006.
Yakovlieva, Anna, et al. “Evaluation of Jet Engine Operation Parameters Using Conventional and Alternative Jet Fuels.” International Journal of Sustainable Aviation, vol. 5, no. 3, 2019, pp. 230-248.