Heat exchangers for airframes

A method of operating an aircraft, the method comprising:

• flying an aircraft-comprising:
• an aircraft structure;
• a thermal exchange system including a fluid-based cooling circuit and heat exchanger tiles, which at least partly cover the aircraft structure;
• a thermal insulation material;
• and
• fasteners securing the tiles to the aircraft structure,
• wherein
• each tile of the heat exchanger tiles embeds one or more fluidic channels connected to the fluid-based cooling circuit, whereby the thermal exchange system is adapted to actively cool the tiles, in operation, and
• the thermal insulation material extends between the aircraft structure and the heat exchanger tiles, where it is clamped on either side by the heat exchanger tiles and by the aircraft structure, due to the fasteners;
• and
• operating the fluid-based cooling circuit to circulate a cooling fluid through the one or more fluidic channels of each of the heat exchanger tiles, to cool down the tiles.