Abstract: The central wing and outer panel jointing area was the key structure to be monitored during the full-scale aircraft fatigue test. The  10 mm vertical and  12 mm horizontal bolts, and their corresponding holes, were of special concern during the test because of the difficulties faced by conventional non-destructive testing means to inspect them and evaluate their damages. Due to the inaccessibility, complex structures and very high sound wave attenuation of these parts, the work of AE monitoring was confronted with great difficulties and high challenges. By using the combination of trend analysis, time-based, amplitude-based, and spatial filtering techniques, respectively, together with multi-parameter identifications, real time monitoring of these critical structures was realized. The AE monitoring played an important role for the fulfillment of the fatigue test.