How come cars rust but planes don't?

[MitchT]

Cars, especially since the introduction of water-based paint, have a nasty habit of rusting. However, none of the 25ish year-old Boeings that I've flown on with Jet2 have a single spot of rust anywhere, despite spending their entire lives outside exposed to every extreme of temperature, humidity and weather. So what's different in the way cars and planes are protected from the elements and, is there any hope of cars getting the same protection one day?

[Mafioso]

Seriously?

It doesn't rain in the sky.

[Super Injunction]

'Cos they're aluminium 'innit.

[whatmoretyres]

Aeroplanes are aluminium, cars are usually steel

[Nickyboy]

DOH!

[PhillipM]

It's called Maintenance.

Given 99% of the population couldn't even fill a washer bottle up without help, never.

[Jandywa]

i think alot of them are made from aluminium so don't rust. Many of the modern jets are made from all sorts of exotic composites, so will not rust either

[DAVEVO9]

Salt

[Mafioso]

There was me thinking this could turn into a funny thread...

[MitchT]

Mafioso said:

It doesn't rain in the sky.

No, but planes spend a lot of time on the ground, usually sat outside, and that doesn't seem to cause a problem.

PhillipM said:

It's called Maintenance.

There is that, but some cars seem prone to rusting anyway. Post-1996 BMWs are a good example.


ETA: Actually folks, good point on the Aluminium - A self-awarded facepalm may be in order.

E again TA: So why aren't more (or even all) cars made from Aluminium?

[Bill]

MitchT said:

ETA: Actually folks, good point on the Aluminium - A self-awarded facepalm may be in order.

Of course, with aluminium the main concern is stress fractures

[iva cosworth]

DAVEVO9 said:

Salt

Never seen a sky gritter at 30,000 feet ?

[New POD]

Planes don't rust, but they do have a Fatigue Life, beyond which the Manufacture has calculated certain structural parts have to be replaced. If they don't do these overhaul activities on time, using approved parts (ie expensive) they loose the airworthyness certs and are grounded

Aluminium is known to work-harden, and salt, skydroll, and all other manner of chemicals will corrode it. Carbon fibre may not rust, but under extremes of temperature cycling the resin can separate from the fibre.

But paint specs are somewhat higher.

[Disco You]

MitchT said:

E again TA: So why aren't more (or even all) cars made from Aluminium?

Because it's more expensive and harder to work.

[Engineer1]

Maintenance, the fact they get re-sprays when liveries change and serious referbs, mean even if they do rust you'd never see it as any vital bit would be replaced.

[MiniMan64]

MitchT said:

Mafioso said:

It doesn't rain in the sky.

No, but planes spend a lot of time on the ground, usually sat outside, and that doesn't seem to cause a problem.

PhillipM said:

It's called Maintenance.

There is that, but some cars seem prone to rusting anyway. Post-1996 BMWs are a good example.


ETA: Actually folks, good point on the Aluminium - A self-awarded facepalm may be in order.

E again TA: So why aren't more (or even all) cars made from Aluminium?

Successfully award yourself one self created facepalm. It's Welsh you t'ard.

With Aluminium it's a questions of cost, it's certainly becoming more common though, go look at Audi and Jaguars ranges.

[HaylingJag]

Apparently they get painted every month or so! A mate of mine, Pat the Paint, used to do the BA fleet at Heathrow when they went from the flag on the tail to the Picasso style. We thought he,d been on the piss again!

[Toltec]

MitchT said:

Mafioso said:

It doesn't rain in the sky.

No, but planes spend a lot of time on the ground, usually sat outside, and that doesn't seem to cause a problem.

Now I know this is a wind up.

[benjfrst]

of course they corrode, a lot of money goes into paints, sealants and dissimilar metal corrosion prevention, but they still corrode in the end.

customers can specify extra's such as dinatrol treatment on the leading edge.

the first place to go is usually the bogs.

[thinfourth2]

What you want is cars made from inconel 625 as we have some subsea valves made of that which have been subsea for 20 years and come up looking like brand new.

But they might be a wee bit more expensive then the market would accept