Aluminum alloy products suited for commercial jet aircraft wing members

In a method wherein an aluminum alloy plate member is made into a lower wing structural member, comprising skin and stringers fastened to or integral with said skin said method including shaping said plate member, the improvement wherein said plate member comprises an aluminum alloy consisting essentially of about m, incidental elements and impurities, and said stringer members comprise an aluminum alloy consisting essentially of about 5.9 to 6.7% zinc, about 1.6 to 1.86% magnesium, about 1.8 to 2.4% copper, about 0.08 to about 0.15% zirconium, not more than about 0.06% silicon, not more than about 0.06% iron, not more than bout 0.11% iron plus silicon, the balance aluminum, incidental elements and impurities and said stringer members comprise an aluminum alloy consisting essentially of about 5.9 to 6.7% zinc, about 1.6 to 1.86% magnesium, about 1.8 to 2.4% copper, about 0.08 to about 0.15% zirconium, not more than about 0.06% silicon, not more than about 0.06% iron, not more than bout 0.11% iron plus silicon, the balance aluminum, incidental elements and impurities.

In a method wherein a thick aluminum alloy wrought product is made into an artificially aged aluminum alloy wing spar structural member, said method including shaping and artificially aging said wrought product to a shape for said wing structural spar member, the improvement wherein said wrought product comprises an aluminum alloy consisting essentially of about 5.9 to 6.7% zinc, about 1.6 to 1.86% magnesium, about 1.8 to 2.4% copper, about 0.08 to about 0.15% zirconium, not more than about 0.06% silicon, not more than about 0.06% iron, not more than about 0.11% iron plus silicon, the balance aluminum, incidental elements and impurities.

In a method of producing an artificially aged aluminum alloy structural member for an aircraft, said method including shaping and artificially aging an aluminum alloy product for said structural member, the improvement wherein said product comprises an aluminum alloy consisting essentially of about 5.9 to 6.7% zinc, about 1.6 to 1.86% magnesium, about 1.8 to 2.4% copper, about 0.08 to about 0.15% zirconium, not more than about 0.06% silicon, not more than about 0.06% iron, not more than about 0.11% iron plus silicon, the balance aluminum, incidental elements and impurities.

In a method of making a wing for a commercial aircraft wherein an upper wing skin member and a spaced apart therefrom lower wing skin member are arranged to cooperate in providing structural strength to said wing member and wherein said upper and lower wing skin members are bridged by an artificially aged aluminum alloy spar member shaped from a rolled aluminum alloy plate product, the improvement wherein the metal for said rolled plate product is provided as an aluminum alloy consisting essentially of about 6 to 6.7% zinc, about 1.6 to 1.86% magnesium, about 1.8 to 2.4% copper, about 0.08 to about 0.15% zirconium, not more than about 0.06% silicon, not more than about 0.06% iron, not more than about 0.11% iron plus silicon, the balance aluminum, incidental elements and impurities.

In a method wherein an artificially aged aluminum alloy aircraft structural member is made from an aluminum alloy product, said method including machining said product to a shape for said structural member, the improvement wherein said product comprises an aluminum alloy consisting essentially of about 5.9 to 6.7% zinc, about 1.6 to about 1.86% magnesium, about 1.8 to 2.4% copper, about 0.08 to about 0.15% zirconium, not more tan about 0.06% silicon, not more than about 0.06% iron, not than about 0.11% iron plus silicon, the balance aluminum, incidental elements and impurities.

In the production of an aircraft assembly or sub-assembly comprising aluminum alloy structural members which are made from aluminum alloy products, the improvement wherein one or more of said aluminum alloy products is provided in an aluminum alloy consisting essentially of about 5.9 to 6.7% zinc, about 1.6 to 1.86% magnesium, about 1.8 to 2.4% copper, about 0.08 to about 0.15% zirconium, not more than about 0.06% silicon, not more than about 0.06% iron, not more than about 0.11% iron plus silicon, the balance aluminum, incidental elements and impurities.

In an aircraft comprising aluminum alloy structural members made from aluminum alloy products, the improvement wherein one or more of said aluminum alloy products is provided in an aluminum alloy consisting essentially of about 5.9 to 6.7% zinc, about 1.6 to 1.86% magnesium, about 1.8 to 2.4% copper, about 0.08 to about 0.15% zirconium, not more than about 0.06% silicon, not more than about 0.06% iron, not more than about 0.11% iron plus silicon, the balance aluminum, incidental elements and impurities.