Patent attributes
Apparatuses and methods for aircraft wings, including fuel tank access panel assemblies, are disclosed. For example, an aircraft wing comprises a skin and a load bearing fuel tank access panel assembly fastened to the skin. The skin comprises a fuel tank access panel hole and a first fastener hole. The load bearing fuel tank access panel is configured to bear at least some of a wing bending load and comprises an access panel, a fastener, and a self-locking fastener mating assembly. The access panel comprises a body portion configured to be received in the fuel tank access panel hole, and a lip portion extending over an interior surface of the skin. The lip portion comprises a second fastener hole, and the fastener extends through the first fastener hole and the second fastener hole into the self-locking fastener mating assembly.
