The wing root is the structural junction where a wing, horizontal stabilizer, or helicopter rotor blade mates with the main body of the aircraft. It endures the highest bending moments and shear stresses in flight, making it the thickest and most heavily reinforced part of the lifting surface. Aerodynamic fairings are often added here to reduce interference drag.
Heard on the job
The inspection schedule requires a dye penetrant test on the wing root attachments every five hundred hours.
Also heard as
- wing root