The reacting substance is called the fuel, and the source of oxygen is called the oxidizer.
Combustion is a chemical process in which a substance reacts rapidly with oxygen and gives off heat. Burning a fuel is called combustion, a chemical process that we study in middle or high school.īecause combustion is so important for aircraft and rocket propulsion, we will review the fundamentals. The internal combustion, or piston engine, used by the Wright brothers and the modern jet and rocket engine all depend on the burning of fuel to produce power. To move any airplane through the air, we must use a propulsion system to generate thrust. Different types of aircraft use different types of propulsion devices, but all aircraft rely on some type of engine to generate the power needed to run the propulsion system.
Home > Beginners Guide to Aeronautics The Process of Combustion
