182:, hose and tube that penetrates the wing must be sealed to prevent fuel from leaking or seeping around these hardware components. This sealant must allow for expansion and contraction due to rapid temperature changes (such as when cold fuel is pumped into a warm wing tank) and must retain its sealing properties when submerged in fuel and when left dry for long periods of time. Because the tanks form an integral part of the structure, they cannot be removed without considerable disassembly of the overall aircraft; several access panels are also necessary to perform
175:
within the wings, while alternative approaches are less space-efficient. There are benefits from a safety point of view, as fuel would be discharged externally in the event of a leak, rather than within a potentially populated section of the aircraft. The thickness of the wing is typically greater than that of an individual bladder or tank, a factor which decreases the likelihood of damage-related leaks, particularly in the event of a crash.
27:
190:
working on a relatively small wing tank. Without appropriate maintenance, wet wings will commonly start leaking after a while, usually due to seal deterioration; however, resealing work may not be immediately successful and require multiple applications. Improved methods of sealing have been devised, reportedly extending the interval between resealing.
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The wet wing offers several advantages. By eliminating the need for separate bladders, tanks, or other containers to house the fuel, weight savings are achieved, improving operational efficiency and performance. In comparison with other methods, the wet wing maximises the structural volume available
189:
Beyond the complications in the design and manufacture of the aircraft, a wet wing necessitates ongoing maintenance activities throughout its operating life. Commonly, the sealant shall need to be replaced; the removal of old sealant (and the application of fresh) can be considerably difficult when
201:. Multiple aircraft have also sustained considerable structural damage due to improper wet wing maintenance. Multiple instances of manufacturing-related debris, posing a threat to aircraft safety, have been discovered on both civilian and military aircraft.
378:"Aircraft Accident Report - In-flight Separation of Right Wing - Flying Boat, Inc. (d/b/a Chalk's Ocean Airways) Flight 101 - Grumman Turbo Mallard (G-73T), N2969 - Port of Miami, Florida - December 19, 2005"
166:, have also been furnished with wet wings. While it is technically feasible, studies have found it generally impractical to convert aircraft between wet wing and non-wet wing fuel storage.
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The use of wet wings has become common among civilian designs, from large transport aircraft, such as
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Notable accidents in which the wet wing design and its drawbacks were causative include
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429:"USAF Tool Trouble: "Near Catastrophic" $ 25mn E-8C FOD Fuel Tank Rupture"
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Congress House Interstate and Foreign Commerce, 1950.
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407:"Brush with Catastrophe: The Day the U.S. Almost Nuked Itself"
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444:"Boeing finds debris in wing fuel tanks of several 737 Maxs"
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A disadvantage of the wet wing is that every rivet, bolt,
489:. Marlborough, Wiltshire: The Crowood Press Ltd, 2004.
226:, page 557. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997.
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51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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224:Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition
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154:aircraft. Several military aircraft, such as
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298:"What is a wet wing in aeronautical terms?"
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478:Air Safety Board: Hearings...on H.R. 5561
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111:Learn how and when to remove this message
339:"Fuel Tank Reseal: Thankless, Expensive"
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409:. US National Archives. 22 January 2021
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385:National Transportation Safety Board
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49:adding citations to reliable sources
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442:Gates, Dominic (19 February 2020).
325:Air Safety Board 1950, pp. 361-362.
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431:. aerossurance.com. 13 March 2019.
311:Cook, Marc E. (5 September 2004).
139:structure is sealed and used as a
16:Aircraft integral fuel tank system
14:
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246:. aviationpros.com. 26 May 2011.
195:Chalk's Ocean Airways Flight 101
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1593:Aircraft fuel system components
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457:Losey, Stephen (2 April 2019).
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36:needs additional citations for
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1244:Horizontal situation indicator
487:Fundamentals of Fighter Design
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300:. Times of India. 16 May 2010.
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287:Air Safety Board 1950, p. 362.
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244:"C-17 Wet Wing Defueling Cart"
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135:technique where an aircraft's
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199:1961 Goldsboro B-52 crash
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186:and permit inspections.
170:Features and performance
160:aerial refueling tankers
1522:Emergency oxygen system
1284:Turn and slip indicator
1079:Leading-edge droop flap
1049:Drag-reducing aerospike
1024:Adaptive compliant wing
1019:Active Aeroelastic Wing
266:Harwood, T. L. (1991).
1562:Passenger service unit
1363:Self-sealing fuel tank
1259:Multi-function display
557:Self-sealing fuel tank
256:Whitford 2004, p. 153.
184:maintenance activities
1598:Aerospace engineering
1542:Ice protection system
1460:Tricycle landing gear
1450:Landing gear extender
667:Aft pressure bulkhead
133:aerospace engineering
127:(also referred to as
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915:Flight control modes
604:Aircraft fuel system
461:. airforcetimes.com.
164:Grumman A-6 Intruder
45:improve this article
1486:Escape crew capsule
1393:War emergency power
1264:Pitot–static system
1109:Variable-sweep wing
817:Vertical stabilizer
583:Conformal fuel tank
533:Aircraft fuel tanks
344:. weepnomorellc.com
313:"No fuelin' around"
129:integral fuel tanks
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387:. 30 May 2007
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366:. 8 May 2013.
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56:Find sources:
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34:This article
32:
28:
23:
22:
19:
1517:Deicing boot
1445:Landing gear
1397:
1388:Townend ring
1378:Thrust lever
1353:NACA cowling
1318:Autothrottle
1310:fuel systems
1308:devices and
1099:Stall strips
1069:Krueger flap
1039:Channel wing
985:Wing warping
975:Stick shaker
970:Stick pusher
890:Dual control
875:Centre stick
742:Leading edge
712:Flying wires
672:Cabane strut
566:
486:
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470:Bibliography
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411:. Retrieved
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389:. Retrieved
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346:. Retrieved
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43:Please help
38:verification
35:
18:
1465:Tundra tire
1348:Intake ramp
1279:Transponder
1064:Gurney flap
1005:Aerodynamic
920:Fly-by-wire
802:Triple tail
562:Tokyo tanks
315:. aopa.org.
150:, to small
1582:Categories
1455:Oleo strut
1343:Inlet cone
1338:Gascolator
1304:Propulsion
1294:Yaw string
1289:Variometer
1145:instrument
1124:Wing fence
1059:Gouge flap
1034:Blown flap
990:Yaw damper
965:Stabilator
950:Side-stick
885:Dive brake
772:Stabilizer
747:Lift strut
737:Jury strut
547:Ferry tank
413:21 October
391:21 October
205:References
156:airlifters
71:newspapers
60:"Wet wing"
1430:Autobrake
1358:NACA duct
1333:Fuel tank
1323:Drop tank
1306:controls,
1189:Astrodome
1179:Altimeter
1044:Dog-tooth
1009:high-lift
960:Spoileron
945:Servo tab
925:Gust lock
880:Deceleron
865:Autopilot
822:Wing root
807:Twin tail
792:Tailplane
727:Hardpoint
697:Empennage
660:structure
588:Drop tank
210:Citations
180:nut plate
148:airliners
141:fuel tank
101:July 2012
1398:Wet wing
1373:Throttle
1119:Vortilon
980:Trim tab
910:Flaperon
900:Elevator
855:Airbrake
827:Wing tip
752:Longeron
722:Fuselage
658:Airframe
646:Aircraft
567:Wet wing
197:and the
131:) is an
125:wet wing
1408:Landing
1199:Compass
1147:systems
1139:Avionic
1129:Winglet
1012:devices
955:Spoiler
850:Aileron
832:Wingbox
757:Nacelle
707:Fairing
650:systems
348:14 June
85:scholar
1143:flight
1104:Strake
935:Rudder
905:Elevon
870:Canard
812:V-tail
787:T-tail
717:Former
677:Canopy
493:
230:
87:
80:
73:
66:
58:
1328:FADEC
1214:EICAS
1089:Slats
930:HOTAS
782:Strut
381:(PDF)
342:(PDF)
271:(PDF)
92:JSTOR
78:books
1410:and
1274:TCAS
1254:ISIS
1209:EFIS
1154:ACAS
1141:and
1094:Slot
1054:Flap
1007:and
995:Yoke
767:Spar
692:Dope
491:ISBN
415:2021
393:2021
350:2020
275:NASA
228:ISBN
158:and
137:wing
64:news
1249:INS
1229:GPS
1084:LEX
762:Rib
47:by
1584::
383:.
330:^
273:.
143:.
123:A
638:e
631:t
624:v
525:e
518:t
511:v
497:.
480:.
417:.
395:.
352:.
277:.
114:)
108:(
103:)
99:(
89:·
82:·
75:·
68:·
41:.
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