What are the advantages and disadvantages of using composite materials in aircraft manufacture?
For many years the majority of aircraft load bearing structures were built from aluminium. Airbus was the first company to build an aircraft using laminated composite fibres in their load bearing structures – such as the tail on their A300 series aircraft. Composite materials are lighter than metals for the same strength and so the trend to use them in aircraft manufacture is increasing. Saving weight means the aircraft can carry more passengers. The main disadvantage of composite fibre components is that they are able to conceal damage and wear and tear. Visual inspections may not notice a problem that would be apparent in an aluminium structure. Who is responsible for ensuring aircraft safety? In the USA, the responsibility of ensuring aircraft safety falls to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which is in charge of issuing the industry’s certification standards. This includes determining the structural design certification to which a plane must be built, and the limits which
