Aircraft Structures
Aircraft Structures History and Development The study of structures determines how the aerodynamic loads on the aircraft are distributed so that no one part of the plane is pushed beyond its limit and breaks. ... A major development in structural design for aircraft was the decision to use the metal skins to carry some of the aerodynamic loading. ... For a slight increase in weight for the thicker skins, a greater savings in overall weight was discovered by the designers being able to decrease the structures inside the wing. ... Stresses The field of aircraft structures still develops in search of a better balance of weight and strength. Along with studying the effects of the outside forces on the components of an aircraft, the effects of the force inside the components are also studied. ... Application of Stresses to Aircraft Structures The components in an aircraft are usually designed for loads that remain in the elastic region.