Manufacturing Defects In Composites Do Not Worsen

Air Safety Week, Jan 14, 2002

Contributing editor Rudy Kapustin concedes the comprehensiveness of certification testing, but nonetheless observed that the American Flight 587 accident could be a wake-up call for the industry regarding composites in the same way the Aloha Airlines accident was a wake-up call regarding conventional metal structures. An entire supplemental structural integrity program (SSIP) of inspections grew out of the Aloha accident.

Whether, in the course of its brief 103-second flight, the tail of the American Airlines A300 was subjected to forces beyond ultimate load seems certain to be an "essential item of information" in the investigation.

Kapustin cautioned, "It is well recognized that some of the most popular air transport airplanes, while well into their service life, developed major and demonstrated catastrophic problems which were indeed outside of the original certification envelope." Kapustin also wondered if the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which is conducting a detailed analysis of the broken tail, was consulted by the FAA during the formulation phase of the "one time inspection" AD. "Would NASA have recommended an ultrasonic NDT inspection of the A300 and possibly other airplanes?" he asked.

It has been said that the best reasoning and the most flawless logic are of little value if they begin with false assumptions. In this respect, Airbus officials believe they aren't working off assumptions at all, but off hard data gleaned from a massive body of empirical test data and millions of hours of operational experience. If the tail broke under forces greater than ultimate load, that body of effort and evidence is justified. If not, something's missing. >TK American Airlines [AMR]: AirTran Airways [AAI]: Boeing [BA]: