Occasionally, existing aluminium alloys do not have all the properties required for an aerospace application, and so the aircraft industry develops a new alloy. The practice of developing new aluminium alloys was common in the era between the mid-1930s and 1970 to meet the needs of the rapid advances in the aerospace industry. For example, a complex Al–Cu–Mg–Ni–Fe alloy known as Hiduminium RR58 was specifically developed for the Concorde. This alloy was created to maintain high tensile strength, creep resistance and fatigue endurance at the high temperatures caused by frictional heating during supersonic flight. Conventional 2000 and 7000 alloys used in the external structures of supersonic aircraft soften above about Mach 2 and, therefore, aluminium alloys with superior heat-resistant properties are required.
Aluminium–beryllium (Al–Be) alloys were developed for use in communications satellites and in load-bearing rings and brackets for spacecraft. Al–Be alloys are better than conventional aluminium alloys in terms of mechanical stability over a wide temperature range, vibrational dampening, thermal management and reduced weight, which are desirable properties for spacecraft materials.
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