This chapter begins by describing the airborne history of aluminum from being a critical component in the engine of the Wright Flyer to enabling the global airplane industry that began with planes such as The Comet. Aluminum is an ultra-light metal whose mechanical properties can be precisely tailored by the addition of a myriad of alloying atoms. Although aluminum is abundant in the Earth’s crust it proved very challenging to extract from its ore requiring a process that consumes enormous amounts of electricity. These challenges once made aluminum a precious metal alongside silver and gold. Its relatively low melting temperature and its structure mean that aluminum can be readily shaped and formed, which has enabled mass production of power transmission lines, automobiles, airplanes, and a host of aluminum products.