The main structure of an aircraft, including the fuselage, wings, and tail, but not including engines or equipment inside.
Compound of 'air' and 'frame' (from Old Norse 'framr'). The term became standard in aviation in the early 20th century to describe the skeleton of a plane.
Aircraft manufacturers grade airframes by how many takeoff-and-landing cycles they can handle—a single Boeing 747 airframe is checked so obsessively that it can safely fly for 40+ years.
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