11.3 Wings Wing Construction

Question 1

What does the design of a wing depend on ?

Answer 1

-size
-weight
-use of aircraft
-speed in flight
- desired rate of climb
-landings

Question 2

What design are the majority of aircraft wings?

Answer 2

Full cantilever design

Question 3

What is a full cantilever design

Answer 3

They do not need external members as all structural members are supported by the skin

Question 4

What wing design do most small aircraft use ?

Answer 4

Semi cantilever design

Question 5

What is a semi cantilever design ?

Answer 5

When external struts or wires are used to support the wing and carry aerodynamic loads and landing loads

Question 6

What are wing support cables and struts usually manufactured from ?

Answer 6

Aluminium

Question 7

What structural components are a wing constructed of?

Answer 7

-spars
-stringers
-ribs
-formers

Question 8

What is the primary structural element of the wings ?

Answer 8

-spars

Question 9

What carries loads during flight?

Answer 9

Skin transfers stresses to the ribs then to the spars which bear all the loads during flight

Question 10

What are three wing construction designs ?

Answer 10

-mono spar
-multi spar
-box beam

Question 11

What is a mono spar construction ?

Answer 11

-one main spar ribs or stringers supply shape to the aerofoil

Question 12

What is a multi spar construction ?

Answer 12

Multiple spars are used, ribs and stringers are used for shape.

Question 13

What is box beam construction?

Answer 13

Two main spars with connecting stringers to provide extra strength and shape to the wing

Question 14

What is a spar?

Answer 14

Main structural member of the wings, they are placed parallel to the lateral axis

Question 15

how are the wing usually attached ?

Answer 15

Either a series of
-Wing fittings,
-plain beams,
-truss

Question 16

What is the most common spar shape ?

Answer 16

The I beam

Question 17

What is the top and bottom of an I beam called?

Answer 17

The caps

Question 18

What is the vertical member of the I beam called ?

Answer 18

The web

Question 19

What are the ribs ?

Answer 19

Ribs are the structural piece that runs parallel to the spars. They extend from trailing to leading edge they provide shape to the aerofoil

Question 20

What are false ribs ?

Answer 20

Ribs that do no span the entire length of the wing chord

Question 21

Where can wing butt ribs be found ?

Answer 21

At the inboard edge of the wing (the root)

Question 22

Where the wing attaches to the centre wing box, what is it usually covered with ?

Answer 22

Fairings do achieve smooth airflow over the area

Question 23

Why might wing tips be removable ?

Answer 23

They are prone to damage especially on the ground, so they need to be able to be easily replaced

Question 24

What is it called when the skin as well as the spars and ribs are designed to take loads?

Answer 24

Stressed skin design

Question 25

In stressed skin design, what might be done to the skin?

Answer 25

The skin is stiffened

Question 26

How can a single sheet of aluminium have varying thicknesses ?

Answer 26

By chemically milling

Question 27

In an aircraft with stressed skin design, what material may be used ?

Answer 27

Honeycomb composites as they are strong and lightweight