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Meaning of a fuselage station number

Aviation Mechanic General (AMG) practice question 2 of 15 on Aircraft Drawings. ACS element AM.I.B.K3 · difficulty: recall. Want to answer it in a timed quiz? Use the Aviation Mechanic General (AMG) practice mode.

Question bank updated 2026-09-22

QUESTIONOn an aircraft drawing, fuselage station 185 indicates a location that is

  1. A185 inches aft of the main wing spar.
  2. B185 centimeters from the nose of the aircraft.
  3. C185 inches from the aircraft datum.
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. 185 inches from the aircraft datum.

  • A — incorrect Station numbers are measured from the datum, usually the nose or zero station, not from the wing spar.
  • B — incorrect Station numbers are expressed in inches, not centimeters.
  • C — correct The handbook states that fuselage station 185 indicates a location 185 inches from the datum of the aircraft.

BACKGROUND

A numbering system is used on large aircraft assemblies to locate stations such as fuselage frames. Fuselage station 185 is a location 185 inches from the aircraft datum. The measurement is usually taken from the nose or zero station, but a manufacturer may instead measure from the firewall or another chosen point. The same station numbering system is used for wing and stabilizer frames, measured from the centerline or zero station of the aircraft.

STUDY TIP

Read a fuselage station number as inches from the datum, and check the manufacturer's data for where the datum is placed.

KEY POINTS

  • Fuselage station numbers are distances in inches from the datum.
  • The datum is usually the nose or zero station but can be the firewall or another point.
  • Wing and stabilizer frames use the same station system from the aircraft centerline.

SOURCES

  • FAA-H-8083-30B ch04 "Station Numbers & Location Identification on Aircraft"
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MORE ON AIRCRAFT DRAWINGS

SkyDrill is not affiliated with the FAA. This is an original practice item based on FAA-H-8083-30B Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook – General, 14 CFR part 43 and part 65. Regulations and handbooks are revised; confirm details against the current edition.