This week we have a TPL Kids visitor who may have gazed up at the sky and seen an airplane zooming through the clouds. How long it did it take to build that engineering marvel?
Go behind the scenes at Airbus in this 2014 MinutePhysics video. When everything is running at full speed, they can make 10 A350 planes every month. That's one plane about every two working days. (According to a June 2024 news release, Airbus intends to deliver around 770 commercial aircraft this year.) You can also check out this 2016 Wired video, which shows how a Boeing 737 plane is built in nine days.
Of course, this isn't including all the research that goes into designing a plane. That takes years! Not to mention all the tests to make sure the plane meets safety requirements.
Building a huge, complicated flying machine depends on many factors. Any changes in the number of workers or the supply chains for parts and materials could cause delays. Plus there are many different manufacturers, types and models of planes.
Want to build your own plane? Yup, some people enjoy building planes as a hobby! The Experimental Aircraft Association sourcebook says that kit aircraft can be built in 500 to 1,500 hours, depending on how complex the design is. If you built your own plane, what would it look like? Draw a prototype!