Definition
The rear edge of the wing in the section located farthest from the fuselage, near the wingtip. This is the area where ailerons are typically mounted.
Plain English
The back edge of the wing, out near the tip. It's the part of the wing farthest from the body of the airplane along its rear edge.
Context Anchor
Seen in wing and aileron descriptions, especially when explaining where roll-control surfaces are located.
Derivation
Outboard' means away from the centerline of the aircraft (toward the wingtip), the opposite of 'inboard.' 'Trailing edge' is the rear edge of the wing — the edge that 'trails' behind as the aircraft moves forward. Together they pinpoint a specific corner of the wing: rear edge, near the tip.
Why Pilots Care
Ailerons live here. Knowing where the outboard trailing edge is helps a pilot understand why ailerons are placed where they are — far from the centerline gives them leverage to roll the aircraft efficiently.
Intuition Check
“Outboard” does not mean outside the airplane completely; it means farther from the fuselage and closer to the wingtip. “Trailing edge” does not mean something is hanging loose; it means the rear edge of the wing as it moves through the air.
Example Sentence 1
The ailerons are hinged to the outboard trailing edge of each wing so they can move up and down to roll the aircraft.
Example Sentence 2
Damage to the outboard trailing edge can reduce roll control effectiveness.