Formers are used in the construction of aircraft
fuselage, of which a typical fuselage has a series from the
nose cone to the
empennage, typically perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis of the aircraft. The primary purpose of formers is to establish the shape of the fuselage and reduce the column length of stringers to prevent instability. Formers are typically attached to
longerons, which support the skin of the aircraft. The "former-and-longeron" technique (also called stations and stringers) was adopted from
boat construction and was typical of
light aircraft built until the advent of
structural skins, such as
fiberglass and other
composite materials. Many of today's light aircraft, and
homebuilt aircraft in particular, are still designed in this way. ==Disposable formers==