Figure 2.
Pseudo free-body diagrams of load transmission from wing to fuselage. Hinge torque is constant and equal to the static value. (a) Linearized dynamics of the hinged wing. The direction of the fuselage reaction increment ΔR varies with the spanwise location of the applied force ΔF. Force through P produces no immediate reaction. (b) Dynamics of the fixed wing. ΔR acts in the same direction as ΔF with magnitude ΔR = μfΔF. Note that ΔR < ΔF because μf < 1, i.e. some of the applied force is always required to accelerate the wing mass. (c) A hinged wing with a linear mass distribution transmits less reaction to the fuselage than a fixed wing, provided ΔF acts within the wide, symmetrical interval (blue, to scale) centred on P.