Editing Monoplane (section)

==Characteristics==
===Support and weight===
The inherent efficiency of the monoplane is best achieved in the [[cantilever]] wing, which carries all structural forces internally. However, to fly at practical speeds the wing must be made thin, which requires a heavy structure to make it strong and stiff enough.

External [[Bracing (aeronautics)|bracing]] can be used to improve structural efficiency, reducing weight and cost. For a wing of a given size, the weight reduction allows it to fly slower and with a lower-powered and more economical engine. For this reason, all monoplane wings in the pioneer era were braced and most were up until the early 1930s. However, the exposed struts or wires create additional drag, lowering aerodynamic efficiency and reducing the maximum speed.<ref name="NASA history">{{cite web|url=https://history.nasa.gov/SP-468/ch4-3.htm|title=ch4-3|work=nasa.gov|date=January 1985 |access-date=16 January 2016 |last1=Loftin |first1=Lawrence K. }}</ref>

High-speed and long-range designs tend to be pure cantilevers, while low-speed short-range types are often given bracing.