Reader Feedback: Plans for Composite Mx

How is the airline industry going to cope with the maintenance of load-bearing composite structures? They had a real problem at American Airlines, the airline and Airbus disagreed with each other on the types of non-destructive inspection most appropriate for checking the tail fins of remaining A300-600Rs in the fleet following the AA587 disaster. There will clearly be a long period of minimal maintenance since there is so little corrosion with composites, but with time in service comes water intrusion between layers, freeze-thaw cycles, etc.

• What different diagnostic equipment for composites do the airlines have on site? (ultrasound, thermal wave imaging, x-ray, etc.)

• Will most of this maintenance and checking be delegated to third-party vendors?

• What training have maintenance personnel been undergoing — or will undergo? Boeing, Airbus involvement? Again, third parties?

• Repair equipment — mandrels, autoclaves, patches, bonding agents — on hand? Return to manufacturer? Third party?

• Are airlines forming joint repair coalitions to save money (shared capital investment)?

• What kind of money is in this new and expanding industry segment?

And I am sure there are others you have already thought of. But, with the 2005 AirTransat rudder disintegration and FedEx delamination, those aircraft with composites already in place have reached their initial fatigue plateau, and we will be seeing more such incidents. With the A380 and the 787 employing larger percentages of composites than ever, the related MRO area is going to become a major focus.

Lee Gaillard

Philadelphia, Pa.