In an aircraft, the combination of outside fairing panels that provide the aerodynamic lifting surfaces and the inside supporting members that transmit the lifting force to the fuselage. The structure of a wing is an integration of the environment external to the vehicle wing, the aerodynamic shape of the wing, and the proposed use of the vehicle. The interaction of these three aspects of design leads to the selection of material, to the general structural layout, and, finally, to the detailed choice of structural shapes, material thickness, joints, and attachments. The result is a structural framework covered with a metal skin that also contributes to the load-carrying function.