The Boeing Company

Chris J Foster

Gregory M Santini

John V Dovey

A composite edge of an aircraft wing includes a composite wing box skin panel, attached to an outward wing spar in an attachment region, and a composite ramp, upon an outer surface of, and co-cured with, the composite wing box skin panel. The composite wing box skin panel has a proximal end and a distal end, with an overhanging edge, with substantially constant thickness and ply count in the attachment region. The composite ramp has a maximum ramp thickness at the distal end, the distal end being set back from the overhanging edge, defining a shoulder on the overhanging edge. A composite wing edge skin panel, having a thickness substantially equal to the maximum ramp thickness, is attached to the composite wing box skin panel at the shoulder and adjacent to the distal end of the ramp.

Composite wing edge attachment and method

A composite edge of an aircraft wing includes a composite wing box skin panel, attached to an outward wing spar in an attachment region, and a composite ramp, upon an outer surface of the composite wing box skin panel. The composite wing box skin panel has a proximal end and a distal end, with an overhanging edge, with substantially constant thickness and ply count in the attachment region, the overhanging edge being without any joggle. The composite ramp has a maximum ramp thickness at the distal end, the distal end being set back from the overhanging edge, defining a shoulder, having a relief radius, on the overhanging edge. A composite wing edge skin panel, having a thickness substantially equal to the maximum ramp thickness, is attached to the composite wing box skin panel at the shoulder and adjacent to the distal end of the ramp.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Chris J Foster