Aircraft Sheet Metal Flashcards
Sheet metal repair is one of the most hands-on skills an airframe mechanic performs. Whether patching a small hole, replacing a damaged skin panel, or fabricating a structural repair, understanding the principles of sheet metal layout, forming, riveting, and inspection is essential.
The FAA Airframe exam covers bend allowance, setback, rivet patterns, hole preparation, rivet installation and inspection, and repair design principles. These flashcards cover the calculations and techniques you need to know.
What You Need to Know
- Bend allowance: material needed to form a bend (depends on radius, thickness, angle)
- Setback: distance from the bend tangent line to the mold line
- Sight line: the flat layout line that aligns with the bend tangent
- K-factor: neutral axis location within the material (typically 0.33 for air bending)
- Rivet spacing: edge distance (2-3 rivet diameters) and pitch (3-4 diameters)
- Rivet types: AN470 (universal head), AN426 (countersunk)
- Rivet installation: squeeze, rivet gun, or pneumatic squeezer
- Inspection: check for tightness, no tilting, proper shop head formation
Why This Topic Appears on FAA Exams
Sheet metal repair is tested because improper repairs can weaken the structure or fail under load. Understanding bend calculations, rivet patterns, and installation quality ensures repairs restore original strength. The exam tests both the math (bend allowance, setback) and practical knowledge (rivet selection, inspection).
Sample Flashcards
Tap any card to reveal the answer. These are just a sample — the full deck is available inside the study platform.
What is bend allowance?
What is setback in sheet metal layout?
What is the minimum edge distance for rivets?
What is the standard rivet pitch (spacing between rivets in a row)?
Study Tips
Focus on bend allowance calculations: know that material stretches on the outside and compresses on the inside of a bend, with the neutral axis in between. Learn rivet identification: AN470 (universal), AN426 (countersunk), material codes (AD = 2117, D = 2017, DD = 2024). Remember edge distance = 2-3 rivet diameters, pitch = 3-4 diameters.
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Related Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend allowance depends on the bend radius, material thickness, and bend angle. The formula is: BA = (0.0173 × R + 0.0078 × T) × A, where R is the inside bend radius, T is the material thickness, and A is the bend angle in degrees. The neutral axis is typically at 0.33 of the thickness from the inside radius.
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