The A380 pushes 5,000 psi into realm of the common man

摘要

Few other industries focus on weight as much as aircraft manufacturers, and with good reason. Every extra pound contributes to fuel costs - and impacts the bottom line for the airlines. Since the 1970s, military aircraft have been using 5000 psi hydraulic systems, which use lighter-weight components to actuate the flight control surfaces. Passenger aircraft have been relegated to 3000-psi hydraulic systems (with the exception of the Concorde, which features a 4000 psi system). Now Airbus' new A380, a monster of a plane, is changing all that.