Abstract
The pilot program installations on FedEx aircraft allowed the FAA Long Beach Aircraft Certification Office to properly direct the use of DC-10/MD-11 commercial aircraft repairs. Six composite repairs were installed on DC-10/MD-11 aircraft. The repairs are being closely monitored for one year and inspections occurred every D-check thereafter. During the first year of operation, the doublers are being inspected at 60 day, six month, and one year intervals. A quality assurance inspection was also conducted immediately after each doubler was installed. In preparation for these aircraft repairs, appropriate installation and nondestructive inspection training was conducted with FedEx's composite and NDT shops. All aspects of the composite doubler fabrication, installation, and quality assurance measures were incorporated into a Federal Express engineering order (EO). The EO generates all job cards needed to build, install, and inspect the repairs at the FedEx maintenance depot. The pilot program and associated manual revisions represent a major milestone in the evolution and application of composite doublers. This effort is validating composite doublers for a number of high use applications. It is also streamlining the design-to-installation process to make the technology more amenable to wide scale use.
Published Version
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