Improving aircraft composite inspections using optimized reference standards
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States). FAA Airworthiness Assurance NDI Validation Center
- Boeing Commercial Aircraft Co., Seattle, WA (United States)
- United Airlines (United States)
The rapidly increasing use of composites on commercial airplanes coupled with the potential for economic savings associated with their use in aircraft structures means that the demand for composite materials technology will continue to increase. Inspecting these composite structures is a critical element in assuring this continued airworthiness. The FAA`s Airworthiness Assurance NDI Validation Center, in conjunction with the Commercial Aircraft Composite Repair committee, is developing a set of composite reference standards to be used in NDT equipment calibration for accomplishment of damage assessment and post-repair inspection of all commercial aircraft composites. In this program, a series of NDI tests on a matrix of composite aircraft structures and prototype reference standards were completed in order to minimize the number of standards needed to carry out composite inspections on aircraft. Two tasks, related to composite laminates and non-metallic composite honeycomb configurations, were addressed.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., FAA Airworthiness Assurance NDI Validation Center, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Financial Management and Controller, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 674592
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-98-2022C; CONF-981115-; ON: DE98002972; BR: 600305000; TRN: AHC29820%%44
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1998 airframe/engine maintenance repair conference, Long Beach, CA (United States), 10-12 Nov 1998; Other Information: PBD: [1998]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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