2.1 Aircraft Structures

• Types of loads (stresses) acting on aircraft structures: tension, compression, shear, bending and torsion
• Construction of aircraft structural members: fuselage, wing and landing gear
• Fuselage construction: truss, monocoque and semi-monocoque
• Wing shapes, attachment positions and design: monospar, multispar and box beam
• Landing gear position, types and shock absorption
• Hardware used in aircraft construction: fasteners, control system hardware and safety hardware
• Modelling structural members for aircraft construction
• The importance of structures in aircraft construction

• explain the types of loads acting on aircraft structures
• describe the construction of aircraft structural members
• classify hardware used in construction of aircraft structures
• model structural members for aircraft construction
• recognise the importance of structures in aircraft construction

“Why is an aircraft made of different structures?”

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1. Aircraft structures
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Introduce aircraft structures and the key inquiry question.
2. Loads acting on aircraft structures
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Explain the types of loads acting on aircraft structures.
3. Tension and compression
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Explain tension and compression and how members resist them.
4. Shear, bending and torsion
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Explain shear, bending and torsion in aircraft structures.
5. Stress, strain and material strength
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Explain stress, strain and how materials behave under load.
6. The fuselage
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Describe the fuselage and the parts that make it up.
7. Truss fuselage construction
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Describe the construction of a truss fuselage.
8. Monocoque and semi-monocoque
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Compare monocoque and semi-monocoque fuselage construction.
9. The wing: shape and aerofoil
   40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
   Describe the shape of a wing and how it produces lift.
10. Wing construction: spars, ribs and stringers
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Describe how a wing is built from spars, ribs, stringers and skin.
11. Wing attachment positions
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Describe where wings are attached and the effect of the position.
12. Wing design: monospar, multispar and box beam
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Compare monospar, multispar and box beam wing designs.
13. Landing gear: position and types
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Describe the position and types of landing gear.
14. Landing gear shock absorption
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Explain how landing gear absorbs the shock of landing.
15. Fasteners: bolts, screws, nuts, washers and rivets
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Classify the fasteners used in aircraft construction.
16. Rivets and riveted joints
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Describe a riveted joint and how it carries load.
17. Control system hardware: cables, pulleys and fairleads
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Describe the hardware that carries pilot input to the controls.
18. Control linkages: turnbuckles, rods, bellcranks and quadrants
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Describe the linkages that carry and change motion in a control system.
19. Safety hardware: cotter pins, safety wire and locking clips
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Describe the hardware that stops fasteners from loosening.
20. Modelling structural members
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Model a structural member for aircraft construction.
21. The importance of aircraft structures
    40 min · 1 practice tasks · quiz
    Explain why good structures matter in aircraft construction.