Major Aircraft Wing Types: Design, Advantages, Disadvantages, QA/QC and Real-World Applications Introduction: Why Aircraft Wings Are More Than Just Lifting Surfaces When most people look at an aircraft, the wings are probably the first major aerodynamic structures they notice. They appear deceptively simple: a streamlined structure extending from the fuselage, shaped to produce lift. From an aerospace engineering perspective, however, a wing is anything but simple. A modern aircraft wing is simultaneously an aerodynamic surface, primary load-carrying structure, fuel container, control system platform, landing-gear support structure on some aircraft, and maintenance item. Inside that apparently smooth surface are spars, ribs, stringers, skins, fasteners, systems, wiring, hydraulic lines, fuel tanks, actuators, sensors and numerous fittings. The shape of the wing is therefore the result of many engineering compromises. A wing designed for a slow training aircraft does not nee...