Response 2 The way to ensure technology maturity for new materials: A contribution to airworthiness issues

Abstract

This paper has been prepared for a conference organised in Delft on September 24-26, 2001 and entitled 'Glare - The New Material for Aircraft'. It is a contribution to the keynote paper presented by Jens Hinrichsen in a session entitled 'The material down-selection process for A3XX'. Its purpose is to supplement the paper by the aircraft manufacturer, by emphasising the airworthiness issues associated with this topic, with the views of a specialist working for a certifying agency. Airworthiness standards directly addressing material issues are reviewed and their interpretation is commented on in the light of the author's experience, working for sixteen years as JAA assistant specialist for the certification of composite structures in all the Airbus programmes from the A320 to the most recent versions.