Quote:
Originally Posted by T@T
I'm still interested in seeing how that fuselage holds up after multiple lightning strikes and possible problems with moisture, Wing parts made with some composite materials is one thing but a fuselage is pressurized and as far as I know the whole fuselage is made from composites.
Think I'll wait awhile before I jump on one of these puppys  |
They are actually able to increase the cabin pressurization (to 6000 feet MSL from about 8000 MSL on aluminum aircraft) due to the increased structural integrity offered by the composites.
In my opinion, which is very unscientific, the nature of composites is that yes, when they fail, its much more drastic - stuff doesn't bend or tear, it snaps and shatters. However, I think the bigger picture is that well engineered composite stuff is so much stronger, that even if you loose some strength over time or from a single incident, you can still have an enormous margin of safety before you approach a situation where catastrophic failure is a possibility. I would not be surprised at all if the 787 can withstand greater forces exerted on it and safely land than a conventional aluminum aircraft. Take a look at the wing bending tests that they performed - its pretty clear this composite stuff is crazy strong.