1576. The Present and the Future for Advanced Composites in Aircraft Structures

Paper

Abstract

Fiber reinforced advanced composites for aircraft could be considered an old technology within the aircraft industry’s short history. However, advanced composite acceptance as a viable material in aircraft construction is recent, closely paralleling the rapid escalation of fuel prices. Jet fuel increases from 13.8 cents/gallon in 1973 to $1.10/gallon have raised the fuel cost, as a percent of direct operating cost for airlines, from 18% to more than 50%. Aircraft manufacturers have responded by improving fuel efficiency of new commercial jets by 40% over aircraft still in use today. Aircraft manufacturers accomplished these savings by developing more efficient engines, optimizing aerodynamic design and minimizing weight.
The major contributions of advanced composites have been reducing weight and, lowering manufacturing cost.
Composite structures tended toward use of a single reinforcing fiber such as carbon, Kevlar and glass; however, with the evolution of reinforcing fibers and expanding data base there is a growing trend for design engineers to hybridize reinforcing fibers to maximize the performance of composite parts.
This presentation will summarize the advanced composite programs to date and will conclude with opportunities for the future.