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Q:

How thick is the aluminum covering the wings of a commercial airliner?

A:

The minimum skin thickness on, for example, DC-8 and DC-9 airplanes is .127cm (0.050 in.). Thickness varies between airplanes based on a number of factors. Most important is the load distribution the airplane will experience when it is flying. On another typical commercial airplane type, the 727, minimum skin thickness is .097 cm (0.038 inches).

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