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ArishMell · 70-79, M
Less than I thought made from scratch in the USA, rather than simply assembled from bought-in components, then... That does surprise me.
If if the bulk of the structure were to be made in the USA, the builders would still need import the aluminium-alloys which are an aeroplane's primary material, so needing the same relief.
Not long ago I looked up the USA's main metals resources*, and learnt that the country stil has some iron and copper ores, and also some bauxite but that is used for other purposes, no longer refined to extract the aluminium.
I see the wings are made in Italy by Leonardo. That company bought the helicopter manufacturer Westlands, based in South-West England, but still builds the aircraft there.
.....
*Iron, copper and aluminium are the three primary metallic elements for virtually everything, alone or together, directly or indirectly.
If if the bulk of the structure were to be made in the USA, the builders would still need import the aluminium-alloys which are an aeroplane's primary material, so needing the same relief.
Not long ago I looked up the USA's main metals resources*, and learnt that the country stil has some iron and copper ores, and also some bauxite but that is used for other purposes, no longer refined to extract the aluminium.
I see the wings are made in Italy by Leonardo. That company bought the helicopter manufacturer Westlands, based in South-West England, but still builds the aircraft there.
.....
*Iron, copper and aluminium are the three primary metallic elements for virtually everything, alone or together, directly or indirectly.