Contents
What type of structure is used in most modern aircraft?
The fuselage is the main structure, or body, of the aircraft. It provides space for personnel, cargo, controls, and most of the accessories. The power plant, wings, stabilizers, and landing gear are attached to it.
Which is the main load carrying member in the wing construction?
spar
The spar carries flight loads and the weight of the wings while on the ground. Other structural and forming members such as ribs may be attached to the spar or spars, with stressed skin construction also sharing the loads where it is used. There may be more than one spar in a wing or none at all.
What are the desirable flight characteristics that must be considered in designing a wing?
Wing design can vary to provide certain desirable flight characteristics. Control at various operating speeds, the amount of lift generated, balance, and stability all change as the shape of the wing is altered.
How are the angles of the wings related to the fuselage?
They may extend perpendicular to the horizontal plain of the fuselage or can angle up or down slightly. This angle is known as the wing dihedral. The dihedral angle affects the lateral stability of the aircraft. Figure 2 shows some common wing attach points and dihedral angle.
What kind of stiffener is used in box beam wings?
In some cases, heavy longitudinal stiffeners are substituted for the corrugated sheets. A combination of corrugated sheets on the upper surface of the wing and stiffeners on the lower surface is sometimes used. Air transport category aircraft often utilize box beam wing construction.
What kind of material are aircraft wings made out of?
Currently, most manufactured aircraft have wing spars made of solid extruded aluminum or aluminum extrusions riveted together to form the spar. The increased use of composites and the combining of materials should make airmen vigilant for wings spars made from a variety of materials.
Where are the wings attached to an airplane?
The wings of an aircraft can be attached to the fuselage at the top, mid-fuselage, or at the bottom. They may extend perpendicular to the horizontal plain of the fuselage or can angle up or down slightly.