Author Topic: materials used on modern aircraft  (Read 10643 times)

Offline Oddball

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materials used on modern aircraft
« on: January 22, 2008, 06:14:23 PM »
I have to write a 800-1000 word report on materials used on modern aircraft  E.G glass fibre,carbon fibre etc  for tommorrow as part of my course work and was just wondering how does it affect how your aircraft are maintained? is it difficult or easy to repair and maintain and where about is there any composite materials used on your type of aircraft?
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Offline undatc

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2008, 06:44:16 PM »
Well from my limited experience and what I've heard, one reason UND didnt go with Diamond aircraft was the fact that they are made of fiberglass.  Due to extreme hard landing or repeated hard landings, it makes it very expensive/difficult to repair a cracked wing or body, some times even totaling an aircraft.  Where as with metal GA aircraft, you can usually pull off a wing, or tail or whatever is damaged and just replace it.

You cant really use that as a source, but it might give you an idea of where to start.  Look around, do some searches for aluminum vs. fiberglass aircraft or something similar. GL.
-the content of the previous post does not represent the opinions of the FAA or NATCA, and is my own personal opinion...

Offline Oddball

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2008, 07:28:03 PM »
thanks undtac just really want other peoples point of view really text books can only tell you so much
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Offline leiafee

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2008, 07:36:04 PM »
Nothing but fibreglass wingtips on my tommyhawk.  Nothing more complicated maintenancewise on them than a couple of stop holes drilled in them due to cracking from the screw.  Only one one wing though, something's been unevenly done there at some point methinks.

Composite aircraft look lovely and curvy and whizzbang speedy, but I expect you've already done the research for all th usual pluses and minuses.

There are people specialising in composite repairs, I red an article in (I think) the PFA mag a while ago about someone who specialised in it -- I was suprised at how great the damage was that was still repairable.

Offline Mike

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2008, 09:15:46 PM »
it's been a while but from what I remember, fiberglass has very few structural repairs approved as compared to aluminum...

On the Diamond planes I worked on (in the early nineties), you couldn't do any repairs. If you dinged the rudder, you just bought a new one.

But I think that by now they might be more durable. Fiberglass has come a long way.
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Offline G-man

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2008, 09:38:05 PM »
it's been a while but from what I remember, fiberglass has very few structural repairs approved as compared to aluminum...

On the Diamond planes I worked on (in the early nineties), you couldn't do any repairs. If you dinged the rudder, you just bought a new one.

But I think that by now they might be more durable. Fiberglass has come a long way.

So tell me bout all that duct tape on Panaca Jane ::whistle:: ::whistle::
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Offline Oddball

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2008, 10:51:56 PM »
 ::thinking:: hmmmmmmmmm duct tape sounds familiar i think i used that stuff on a R/C plane once  ::whistle::
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Offline Mike

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2008, 11:16:52 PM »

So tell me bout all that duct tape on Panaca Jane ::whistle:: ::whistle::

ahem . . .  ::whistle::

that's why I said "structural" . . . .
I assume there is a little lee-way on the other parts . . . *cough*  ::)
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Offline Oddball

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2008, 11:33:13 PM »
been reading through my text books again it does say you can repair glass fibre but reading between the lines i think what it really means as long as you know what you are doing and qualified enough you can do repairs
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Offline BrianGMFS

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2008, 11:44:36 PM »
The shop where I work is an authorized Cirrus Service Center. Our lead Mechanic/Chief inspector had to go to school for composite repairs. right now we are in the process of doing some WAAS upgrades on 4 Cirrus' (three SR-22's and one SR-20) this is a 5-7 day project per plane requiring the complete removal of the interior, installation of the new antenna, composite work to the fuselage to make sure the carbon fibre is electrically connected to the antenna (ground plane), reprogramming the Garmin's, paint work and then reinstalling the interior. Conversely, they did a WAAS upgrade to a Cessna 182... took less than one day... install new GPS antenna, reprogram Gamin... Hand customer the bill ::rofl::

Something to be said for Aluminum....

Brian

« Last Edit: January 22, 2008, 11:46:11 PM by BrianGMFS »

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Offline PiperGirl

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2008, 02:32:47 PM »
it's been a while but from what I remember, fiberglass has very few structural repairs approved as compared to aluminum...

On the Diamond planes I worked on (in the early nineties), you couldn't do any repairs. If you dinged the rudder, you just bought a new one.

But I think that by now they might be more durable. Fiberglass has come a long way.

We had a diamond at our flight school for a while. As far as flying was concerned, the plane was pretty nice. On the ground though, it seemed to always get a bit of hanger rash here and there and was much more complicated to repair than hanger rash on the sheet metal of a C172. Overall it was a bit more finicky.
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Offline PiperGirl

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2008, 02:35:38 PM »

So tell me bout all that duct tape on Panaca Jane ::whistle:: ::whistle::

ahem . . .  ::whistle::

that's why I said "structural" . . . .
I assume there is a little lee-way on the other parts . . . *cough*  ::)

Duct Tape Rocks ;D ! had a friend who *ahem* secured the nose cone of his twin Navion with duct tape *ahem*. I guess the FAA wasn't so impressed with his creativity.
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Offline Rooster Cruiser

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2008, 03:27:47 PM »
Quote
right now we are in the process of doing some WAAS upgrades on 4 Cirrus'

What is the correct plural spelling for "Cirrus"?  Would it be "Cirri"?   ::thinking:: ::) :P
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Offline Zaffex

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2008, 08:52:49 PM »
What is the correct plural spelling for "Cirrus"?  Would it be "Cirri"?   ::thinking:: ::) :P

Would it be like moose or deer (I.E. a flock of Cirrus)?? ;D
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Offline chuckar101

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Re: materials used on modern aircraft
« Reply #14 on: March 20, 2008, 09:50:22 PM »
Well from my limited experience and what I've heard, one reason UND didnt go with Diamond aircraft was the fact that they are made of fiberglass.  Due to extreme hard landing or repeated hard landings, it makes it very expensive/difficult to repair a cracked wing or body, some times even totaling an aircraft.

I bet there happy they didn't get them now.  A new ad just game out and grounded the twinstar because of catastrophic engine failures after both ecus quit.
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