Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-hc48f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T19:01:38.540Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Airworthiness of long-life jet transport structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

U. G. Goranson
Affiliation:
Boeing Commercial Airplane Company
John Hall
Affiliation:
Boeing Commercial Airplane Company

Extract

Boeing has recently completed a structural integrity reassessment of 707 aircraft models, and released a Supplemental Inspection Document (SID). Similar activities are now progressing for model 727. Structural reassessments are continuous over the operational life of all Boeing aircraft models and used for developing inspection information directed toward detecting structural damage before it becomes a serious problem in the fleet.

The fail-safe design concept requires interaction between the designer /manufacturer and the airline operators. Within this concept, maintenance and inspection are equally important as the basic design. It is important for operators to provide continuous vigilance of aircraft structure to detect damage and perform timely maintenance. Knowledge of damage that is occurring in the fleet is essential to the manufacturer to provide timely advice through service bulletins or other publications. This interchange is depicted in Fig. 1, and is the foundation of the fail-safe design concept.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1980 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Watson, R. E. Structural integrity of commercial aircraft. ASME Conference on Structural Integrity Technology, Washington, DC, 9th-llth May 1979.Google Scholar
2. Craig, L. E. and Goranson, U. G. Airworthiness assessment of Boeing jet transport structures. Xth International Committee on Aeronautical Fatigue Symposium, Brussels, 16th-18th May 1979.Google Scholar
3. Smith, H. W. and Goranson, U. G. Spectrum loading in relation to aircraft design. 8th ICAF Symposium, Lausanne, June 1975.Google Scholar
4. Craig, L. E. and Hummel, K. H. The value of fleet experience in exploiting the full economic potential of aircraft structures. SAE, San Diego, CA, November 1976.Google Scholar
5. Dinkeloo, C. J. and Moran, M. S. Structural area inspection frequency evaluation (SA1FE) Report No FAA-RD 78-29, 3rd April 1978. US Department of Transport, FAA, Systems Research and Development Service, Washington, DC, 10590.Google Scholar