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Plastic Planes

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old joe:
would you fly on a plastic plane ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5185910.stm

Intresting me thinks I'm not sure?

Dazza

blackbob:
sounds good to me :D

how easy does it burn though :?

Lord Shagg-Pyle:
I wonder what would happen if it was left out in the sun too long? Would it start to droop and melt?

smo:
So they will use carbon and kevlar basically i dont think they will make it any lighter than the aluminium that is currently used as it has different properties and hence will need some much beefier sections in places to handle the loads, thus creating a heavier section offsetting the lighter ones.

Still, a carbon plane would look cool!

Eeyore:

--- Quote from: "smo" ---So they will use carbon and kevlar basically i dont think they will make it any lighter than the aluminium that is currently used as it has different properties and hence will need some much beefier sections in places to handle the loads, thus creating a heavier section offsetting the lighter ones.

Still, a carbon plane would look cool!
--- End quote ---


Cool it would look.

You've got an interesting point with the composite vs ali, but I think there something else to add to the mix - fatigue life.

Composite structures, generally, have a much superior fatigue life than aluminium and can be much less prone to damage than ali. A composite plane could, in theory weigh significantly less than an all ali vehicle. Enhanced fatigue life means, potentially) less material required. Check out Avitation Enterprises in Berkshire. They make planes (not bigguns, I'll grant). They are now commisioning an all composite plane (and seem to be the furthest down the line of any plane maker in this repsect), which is significantly lighter than their traditionally structured varient. I'll bet it ain't cheap though...

The big down side of composites on aircraft will be environemtnal resistance. Planes are subject to broad specturm of chemicals and temperatures - two things that composites normally are not so good with.

I watch the development with great interest!

cheers
 8)
Eeyore

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