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Aircraft using piston engines use intake systems similar to automobiles.
With the development of jet engines and the subsequent ability of aircraft to travel at supersonic speeds, it was necessary to design inlets to provide the flow required by the engine over a wide operating envelope and to provide air with a high-pressure recovery and low distortion. These designs became more complex as aircraft speeds increased to Mach 3.0 and Mach 3.2, design points for the XB-70 and SR-71 respectively. The inlet is part of the fuselage or part of the nacelle.
Aircraft with a maximum speed greater than about Mach 2 use intakes with variable geometry to achieve good pressure recovery from take-off to maximum speed.
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