Former
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2007-10-09T15:20:56Z
Ssteedman
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[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 162682013 by [[Special:Contributions/75.90.167.41|75.90.167.41]] ([[User talk:75.90.167.41|talk]]) - vandalism
[[image:f16_frames_small.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Interior of an F-16B with the engine removed showing frames or formers.]]
A '''former''' is a structural member of an [[aircraft]] [[fuselage]], of which a typical fuselage has a series from the nose to the [[empennage]], typically perpendicular to the [[roll axis]] of the aircraft. The formers establish the shape of the fuselage. Formers are typically attached to [[longeron]]s, which support the skin of the aircraft. The Former-and-Longeron technique was adopted from boat construction (also called stations and stringers), and was typical of light aircraft built until the advent of [[structural skin]]s such as [[fiberglass]] and other [[composite materials]]. Many of today's light aircraft, and [[homebuilt aircraft]] in particular, are still designed in this way.
They are also found in the cores of [[potentiometer]]s in which the resistive material is wrapped round.
[[Category:Aircraft components]]
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