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> They’re so difficult to make, in fact, the companies that build aircraft don’t make their own engines. Airframe manufacturers are prohibited from doing so.
by coredog64 10y ago
> They’re so difficult to make, in fact, the companies that build aircraft don’t make their own engines.
Airframe manufacturers are prohibited from doing so. The "United" in "United Airlines" harks back to when Boeing, Pratt& Whitney and an airmail company were integrated into a single company.
Today, when an airline buys a commercial airliner, the airframe and engine purchases are separate even though the airframe is specific to a single engine type.
- M_Grey 10y agoCould they unite those elements of the industry again if given the chance, or has it moved on to just be too specialized?
- klodolph 10y agoI found this discussion on Quora: https://www.quora.com/Why-are-airframes-engines-developed-manufactured-by-separate-companies-especially-on-airliners-How-did-this-symbiotic-relationship-evolve https://www.quora.com/Why-are-airframes-engines-developed-ma... And this Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Mail_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Mail_scandal It sounds like a combination of antitrust concerns and just the fact that airframes and engines don't have much in common.
- M_Grey 10y agoThat was a good read, and I agree with your conclusion.