Fairing

Fairing is a panel, usually removable, in composite or metallic material, covering parts that are external to the fuselage or wings of an aircraft.

The engines, landing gear, transmission casings and shafts are covered by fairing. Aerodynamically, this fairing must reduce the drag caused by the protruding volume as much as possible, and are designed so that in flight they play the same role as any other part of the skin of the fuselage or wings. There are:
• wing fairings (Karman) and rudder fairings;
• landing gear fairings on planes and helicopters;
• engine fairings and fairings for the transmission casing and shafts on a helicopter;
• air inlet fairings in front of the turbines of a helicopter or plane, etc.
Fairings are often removable to gain all-round access to the part they cover.