Aircraft engine

An aircraft engine, often called an aero engine, is the part that gives an aircraft its power to fly. Aircraft that can fly using their own power are known as powered flight. Most aircraft engines are either piston engines or gas turbines. These engines work by taking in air and fuel, mixing them, and creating thrust to push the aircraft forward.

A few special aircraft have used rocket powered engines, which use powerful bursts of fire and gas to shoot upwards. In recent years, many small UAVs, or unmanned aircraft, have started using electric motors instead of traditional engines. These electric motors run on batteries and are quieter and cleaner.

Aircraft engines are very important because they make air travel possible. Whether it's a small plane, a big jet, or a drone, each one needs an engine to stay in the sky and get from one place to another.

Manufacturing industry

See also: List of aircraft engines

As of 2025, five major companies from Europe and America lead the world in making aircraft engines. These engines, especially jet engines, are very hard to make because they need special technology and materials. It takes about eight years and lots of money to develop a new engine, and it must meet strict safety rules.

Because it is so difficult and expensive to make new engines, only a few companies succeed. The last new jet engine company joined the market in the 1970s. These companies often sell their engines at a lower price but make their money by selling parts and services for many years after the engine is made. This can sometimes cause delays in getting new engines ready for airplanes.

Development history

The history of aircraft engines is full of exciting inventions and improvements. In 1903, the Manly–Balzer engine set the standard for later radial engines. In 2020, the Pipistrel E-811 became the first electric aircraft engine to receive an official certificate from the EASA, powering the Pipistrel Velis Electro, the first fully electric plane certified for flight.

Many other important developments happened between these years, with engineers working to make engines better and more powerful.

Shaft engines

Reciprocating (piston) engines

Main article: reciprocating engine

Power turbines

Main article: Turboprop

A turboprop engine uses air that enters through an intake, gets compressed, mixes with jet fuel, and burns in a combustor. The burning gases power a turbine, which then drives a propeller to push the aircraft forward. Most of the engine's power goes to turning the propeller, not creating direct thrust.

Main article: Turboshaft

A turboshaft engine is a type of gas turbine designed to produce power through a shaft rather than direct jet thrust. It has two main parts: the gas generator and the power section. The gas generator burns fuel to create hot gases, which then drive the power section to produce shaft horsepower that can power props, rotors, or other systems.

Electric power

A number of electrically powered aircraft have been designed since the 1960s, some used as military drones. In late 2007, a conventional light aircraft in France powered by an 18 kW electric motor using lithium polymer batteries flew over 50 kilometers. On 18 May 2020, the Pipistrel E-811 became the first electric aircraft engine to receive a type certificate from EASA for use in general aviation. Many companies are developing high-performance electric engines for aircraft use.

Reaction engines

Main article: Jet engine

Aircraft engines that push air backward to move the plane forward are called reaction engines. The most common types today are jet turbines, which include turbojets and turbofans. These engines use a spinning turbine to compress and move air, creating thrust to propel the aircraft.

Other types of reaction engines include pulsejets, rocket engines, and experimental designs like precooled jet engines. Rocket engines use stored fuel to create thrust and can work outside Earth's atmosphere. Some newer ideas mix different engine types to improve efficiency, such as combining a jet engine with a piston engine for better performance in the future.

Engine position numbering

On airplanes with more than one engine, the engines are given numbers from left to right, as seen by the pilot looking forward. For example, on a four-engine airplane like the Boeing 747, engine No. 1 is on the left side, farthest from the middle of the plane, while engine No. 3 is on the right side, closest to the middle.

In some airplanes with two engines mounted on the body, such as the English Electric Lightning, engine No. 1 is below and in front of engine No. 2, which is above and behind.

Fuel

Refineries blend a special fuel called Avgas with a chemical to meet high standards, but this practice is no longer allowed for regular car gasoline. Because this special ingredient is becoming scarce and new rules may ban it, pilots are looking for new fuels for small airplanes.

Model airplanes often use a special fuel mix for engines that glow, and electric-powered model airplanes and helicopters are also available. Tiny flying robots usually run on electricity, while bigger ones are being developed to use gasoline.