Airframe

Van's RV-14 cutaway showing its airframe

The mechanical structure of an aircraft is known as the airframe.[1] This structure is typically considered to include the fuselage, undercarriage, empennage and wings, and excludes the propulsion system.[2]

Airframe design is a field of aerospace engineering that combines aerodynamics, materials technology and manufacturing methods with a focus on weight, strength and aerodynamic drag, as well as reliability and cost.

  1. ^ Wragg, David W. (1974). A Dictionary of Aviation (1st American ed.). New York: Frederick Fell, Inc. p. 22. ISBN 0-85045-163-9.
  2. ^ "FAA Definitions". Retrieved 2020-04-30.