Support structure for an aircraft

A support structure of an aircraft having a wing, the support structure comprising:

• a wingbox rib structurally configured to mount inside the wing of the aircraft, the wingbox rib including a structural member having a generally planar shape, a fore-aft length, a vertical height orthogonal to and smaller than the fore-aft length, a longitudinal axis parallel to the fore-aft length, and a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and parallel to the vertical height, wherein the structural member includes a plurality of attachment points configured for interfacing with one or more external members and for receiving one or more external loads from the external members acting on the structural member in a principal loading direction that is not parallel with the longitudinal axis or the transverse axis;
• and
• a plurality of rounded holes formed in the structural member and spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis, wherein the rounded holes are configured to allow one or more of a hydraulic line, an electrical line, or a fuel line to pass therethrough, wherein each of the rounded holes has a respective major axis with a major length therealong and a minor axis orthogonal to the major axis with a minor length therealong that is less than the major length,
• wherein each of the rounded holes is oriented with its major axis rotated 45 degrees or less from the longitudinal axis and aligned parallel with the principal loading direction.

An aircraft, comprising:

• an
• aircraft fuselage;
• an aircraft wing attached to the aircraft fuselage;
• a wingbox rib attached to the aircraft wing, the wingbox rib including a structural member having a generally planar shape, a fore-aft length, a vertical height orthogonal to and smaller than the fore-aft length, a longitudinal axis parallel to the fore-aft length, and a transverse axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and parallel to the vertical height, wherein the structural member includes a plurality of attachment points configured for interfacing with one or more external members and for receiving one or more external loads from the external members acting on the structural member in a principal loading direction that is not parallel with the longitudinal axis or the transverse axis;
• and
• a plurality of elliptical holes formed in the structural member and spaced from each other along the longitudinal axis, wherein the elliptical holes are configured to allow one or more of a hydraulic line, an electrical line, or a fuel line to pass therethrough, wherein each of the elliptical holes has a respective major axis with a major length therealong and a minor axis orthogonal to the major axis with a minor length therealong that is less than the major length,
• wherein each of the elliptical holes is oriented with its major axis rotated 45 degrees or less from the longitudinal axis and aligned parallel with the principal loading direction, and
• wherein each of the elliptical holes is an access hole through the wingbox rib.