AIRCRAFT WING CONSTRUCTION

WING CONSTRUCTION

The wings of an aircraft are surfaces, which are designed to produce lift when moved rapidly through the air. The particular design for any given aircraft depends on size, weight, use of the aircraft, desired speed in flight and at landing, and desired rate of climb. The wings of a fixed-wing aircraft are designated left and right, corresponding to the left and right sides of the operator when seated in the cockpit.

Wing design may use no external bracing (Full cantilever type) or may use external bracing like struts, wires etc to assist in supporting wing and carrying. aerodynamic and landing loads.

Structural Members in wing design: Structural members in the wing construction are mainly:

a)                 Spars

b)                 Stringers

c)                  Ribs

d)                 Formers

e)                 False Spar

Unpressurized aeroplanes normally uses fabric as upper and lower covering or ‘skin’ to cover wooden/metallic wing structure. Skin carries no load but gives aerodynamic shape only.

Pressurized aircraft normally uses metallic stressed skin covering forming part of the structure and carrying part of the wing loads.

shows a cross sectional view of an all metal full cantilever (no external bracing) wing section showing main structural members.

Figure 2.8 shows main parts of a wing internal structure. The internal structure is made up of spars and stringers running span wise, and ribs and formers running chord wise (leading edge to trailing edge).

Figure 2.7:  All metal full cantilever wing cross section

The spars are the principal structural members of the wing. They are like the Longerons of the fuselage structure. Wings are attached to the fuselage structure through front and rear spars.

The skin is attached to the internal members of the wing. The skin is attached to the internal members and may carry part of the wing stresses. During flight, applied loads, which are imposed on the wing structure, are primarily on the skin. From the skin they are transmitted to the ribs and formers, which in turn transmit the load to the front and rear spars. Spars transmit the wing loads to the fuselage structures.

Figure 2.8: Main parts of a wing internal structure.