Why aerospace industry prefers aluminum base alloys to iron base alloys?

Question

Why aerospace industry prefers aluminum base alloys to iron base alloys?

Answer 1

Better strength-to-weight ratios.  Airplanes gotta fly.  

Answer 2

Aluminum is lighter than Iron and resists heat and higher melting point...

so it's good for flight on space when you really need to reduce weight and resist the burning atmosphere...

Answer 3

Weight

Answer 4

Aluminium based alloys are lighter and don't rust.

Answer 5

Simple, Iron based alloys are heavier than aluminum based ones so there is a big weight saving there, and all iron based alloys rust (oxidise) in the presence of oxygen, if I remember rightly aluminium is much less reactive to air!

Answer 6

Lighter, easier to machine, better resistance to corrosion.

The only disadvantages are cost, fatigue and heat resistance, but over a typical 25 to 30 years aircraft structural lifetime, these are not major issues and, in the case of heat resistance, is not pertinent except for supersonic aircraft or area around engine exhaust (where non aluminium based alloys are used).

Answer 7

Weight. In most cases pound for pound Aluminum and it's Alloys beat all other materials, same goes for pound for dollars. While Carbon fiber is technically stronger it's far more expensive to make and to maintain.

Aluminum is the overall winner when you have to watch this variables.

Answer 8

Because they are much lighter.  Without aluminum, we really wouldn't have an aerospace industry.

Answer 9

Weight.

Aluminium is much less dense than iron so much lighter for the same structure. Find an aluminium can and a steel can and compare the weights.

And thanks for spelling aluminium correctly. ;-)