Adjustable splice fitting for shimless connection of structual members

A fuselage, comprising:

• a fuselage section including a structural member and a fuselage skin;
• a frame member including a vertical frame and a stub frame, the vertical frame being coupled to the skin, the stub frame extending laterally inwardly from the vertical frame over the structural member and having an upper flange and a web;
• an intercostal extending laterally inwardly from the stub frame and being mounted to the structural member, the intercostal having an upper flange, a lower flange, and a web having an end flange;
• and
• an adjustable splice fitting interconnecting the stub frame to the structural member and to the intercostal, the adjustable splice fitting having a web, a lower flange, and an end flange being mountable in faying contact with respective ones of the frame member web, the structural member, and the intercostal end flange;
• an upper chord splice fitting connecting the upper flange of the stub frame to the intercostal;
• and
• a lower chord splice strap mounted to a lower side of the structural member and connecting the lower flange of the adjustable splice fitting to the lower flange of the intercostal.

A method of assembling an aircraft, comprising the steps of:

• providing a fuselage section including a structural member;
• extending a stub frame inwardly over the structural member, the stub frame having a web and a terminal end;
• mounting an intercostal to the structural member such that a terminal end of the intercostal is positioned adjacent to the terminal end of the stub frame, the intercostal having an end flange;
• interconnecting the stub frame to the structural member and to the intercostal using an adjustable splice fitting having a web, a lower flange, and an end flange;
• and
• adjustably positioning the adjustable splice fitting such that the web, the lower flange, and the end flange of the adjustable splice fitting are placed in faying contact with respective ones of the frame member web, the structural member, and the intercostal end flange.