Abstract
A routine ultrasonic inspection of a lower wing skin revealed a defect between the titanium alloy stepped-lap joint and composite surface. Since the wing skin passed high-tension loads through to the fuselage, the possible presence of such a defect had the potential to compromise other aircraft with the same construction. Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville personnel took the lead in coordinating the approach to identify, diagnose, and manage the defect by synchronizing efforts between non-destructive testing, metallurgy, and composites experts. The defect was identified as a disbond between the splice plate and bond primer that led to a delamination fatigue crack between composite plies. From these results, staff implemented a novel inspection program to search for similar defects in the fleet.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.