COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
(OP)
COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Corp. announced that one of its Columbia airframes has absorbed the equivalent of 25,000 flight hours of punishment in fatigue testing. The company deliberately inflicted one of its airframes with 100 damage sites and placed it in fatigue testing. The tests were stopped when the steel fatigue testing structure, which is used to bounce and bend the airframe, began to have metal failure.
Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Corp. announced that one of its Columbia airframes has absorbed the equivalent of 25,000 flight hours of punishment in fatigue testing. The company deliberately inflicted one of its airframes with 100 damage sites and placed it in fatigue testing. The tests were stopped when the steel fatigue testing structure, which is used to bounce and bend the airframe, began to have metal failure.





RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
I'm not familar with aircraft fatigue requirements, but isn't it reasonable to design something with a safety factor of perhaps 5 normal lifetimes? [Although a few DC-3's & B-52's are perhaps way past their expected airframe lifetimes]
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
Test rig is inevitably designed by junior engineer, who just selects super heavy stock, which gets joined with partial penitration and fillet welds.
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
What is the material used for the wing spars and skin???? I looked on the web site but didn't see mention of material (only did a quick look). It did say composite fuselage and control surfaces.
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
It is a very interesting airplane and won it's type certificate in the late 90s. It and another aircraft (don't recall the name) were the first GA service airplanes qualified to the new GA stall characteristics enforced by the FAA.
One last unique topic for this plane - all composite materials used were qualified on a commodity basis - anyone can make the raw materials.
Had fun building 'em too!
Composites and Airplanes - what was I thinking?
There are gremlins in the autoclave!
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
"I'm assuming this is unpressurized ..." ... the plane goes to 25,000 ft, so it is pressurised.
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
A valuable lesson indeed.
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
Just because it goes to 25000 feet, it does not have to be pressurised.
You just wear a nose bag.
Since Composite Geek is building them, He probably has the answer to this.
B.E.
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
Cut & paste
CODE
Maybe some wear at an eyebolt?
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
If it is...then fatigue loading has very little impact on the structure. Fatigue stress calculation are normally not performed on Carbon fiber components due to it's great damage resistance. Up the composites.
If it is not...then they should have made the rig out of composites. LOL
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
Do you have some documentation stating such? I was under the impression that the failure was a result of agressive use of the rudder during upset maneuvers. My understanding was that the rudder saw full reversal 5 times then snapped off above the fitting (some fittings were still attached to the airframe) due to aerodynamic overload.
I am unable to say too much on this as I was working for Airbus at the time of litigation, but the hydraulic fluid was not suggested as a contributing factor.
jetmaker
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
Thanks for the link. I was unaware of other rudder issues with the A-300 series of aircraft. I though sigma38 was refering to the crash in New York in which the tail snapped off.
jetmaker
RE: COLUMBIA AIRFRAME OUTLASTS STEEL FATIGUE TESTING STRUCTURE
http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2006/JRN0601.pdf