Definition
The complete physical framework of an airplane, including the fuselage, wings, empennage (tail section), engine mounts, and landing gear, together with the skin, fasteners, and internal members that carry flight and ground loads. In weight and balance work, the aircraft structure is one of the major components whose weight and arm contribute to the airplane's empty weight and center of gravity.
Plain English
The actual built body of the airplane — the wings, body, tail, and the parts that hold them all together. It's the airframe itself, before you add fuel, people, or cargo.
Context Anchor
Seen in weight and balance discussions when considering how weight is supported by the airplane and whether loading stays within approved limits.
Derivation
From Latin structura, meaning 'a building' or 'a fitting together.' In aviation, it refers to how the parts of the aircraft are fitted together to form a load-carrying whole.
Why Pilots Care
Knowing what counts as aircraft structure helps pilots calculate empty weight correctly and avoid exceeding structural or center-of-gravity limits that could compromise safety.
Intuition Check
Do not read structure here as the airplane’s general layout or organization. In this context, it means the actual physical parts that carry weight and flight loads.
Example Sentence 1
When calculating empty weight, the aircraft structure, engine, and installed equipment are all included.
Example Sentence 2
Corrosion on the aircraft structure was noted during the preflight inspection and reported to maintenance.