Skip to comments.
Plastic airplane parts are an in-flight disaster in the making
Crosscut/The Seattle Times ^
| 7/9/08
| ByLee Gaillard
Posted on 07/09/2008 9:38:43 AM PDT by XR7
click here to read article
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-53 next last
Yikes!
1
posted on
07/09/2008 9:38:43 AM PDT
by
XR7
To: XR7
Every time a new airplane, especially a revolutionary airplane is introduced into service, the doomsayers dream up scenarios where in their considered opinion, disaster will ensue. All I can say about the latest is:
If you are a retired General, no-one pays you money to write about how well a program is running. Where’s the news in that?
2
posted on
07/09/2008 9:48:10 AM PDT
by
Abathar
(Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
To: XR7
After tens of thousands of flight and pressurization cycles, they can undergo hidden disbonding, delamination and ply separation from impacts or stresses from in-flight upsets. What's 8 hours sitting on asphalt in the summer Las Vegas sun going to do to the glue that holds the plastic together? They'll have to move their long term airplane storage yards out of the dry air desert.
3
posted on
07/09/2008 9:52:02 AM PDT
by
Reeses
(Leftism is powered by the evil force of envy.)
To: XR7
4
posted on
07/09/2008 9:55:17 AM PDT
by
hc87
To: XR7
Blaming the AA587 crash on pilot error always stunk!
To: Abathar; XR7
Yep. We’ve been flying plastic airplanes for quite a while now.
Nothing so gentle as commercial flight.
High load combat and training missions.
Only one loss due to mechanical failure, and that required a maintenance failure of some magnitude - not installing half the bolts needed to hold a wing on!
6
posted on
07/09/2008 9:56:00 AM PDT
by
null and void
(every Muslim, the minute he can differentiate, carries hate of Americans, Jews & Christians - OBL)
To: XR7
7
posted on
07/09/2008 9:56:08 AM PDT
by
Abathar
(Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
To: Reeses
What's 8 hours sitting on asphalt in the summer Las Vegas sun going to do to the glue that holds the plastic together?
Is it making cars out there fall apart? These days cars are made of flimsier composites than aircraft. The 'glue' is epoxy and is made not to melt.
8
posted on
07/09/2008 9:58:23 AM PDT
by
TalonDJ
To: null and void
I would be more concerned with a plane with parts MADE IN COMMUNIST CHINA than a plane with AMERICAN made plastic parts.
Location of the factory...not the material used...is a bigger concern
9
posted on
07/09/2008 9:59:12 AM PDT
by
UCFRoadWarrior
(What Do You Call Someone Who Supports Free Trade With Communist China?: A Communist)
To: XR7
Calling high-tech composites “plastic” is like calling Stainless Steel just iron.
To: Abathar
11
posted on
07/09/2008 10:00:37 AM PDT
by
Darth Hillary
("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun, Because folks in Philly like a good brawl."B.O.)
To: XR7
What a friggin waste of bandwidth.
12
posted on
07/09/2008 10:01:41 AM PDT
by
scooter2
(The greatest threat to the security of the United States is the Democratic Party.)
To: UCFRoadWarrior
Yep. QC = Quality Control, we have it, they don’t.
It’s why I would never consider flying on a Chinese or Russian made plane while I would fly on a Japanese or even a Korean plane if I had to without fear.
13
posted on
07/09/2008 10:01:51 AM PDT
by
Abathar
(Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
To: UCFRoadWarrior
Made in America.
Maintained in Columbia.
Using Chinese parts...
14
posted on
07/09/2008 10:02:06 AM PDT
by
null and void
(every Muslim, the minute he can differentiate, carries hate of Americans, Jews & Christians - OBL)
To: Abathar
...here is his take on the 2nd amendment... Ugh.
15
posted on
07/09/2008 10:02:07 AM PDT
by
XR7
To: XR7
It all starts at the very beginning of the manufacturing process. It's much better to separate them from the rack with a hobby or utility knife. Many airplane builders are prone to twist them free, and that can ruin the structural integrity of the part...
16
posted on
07/09/2008 10:02:35 AM PDT
by
Joe 6-pack
(Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
To: Darth Hillary
LOL considering they made those things out of WOOD!...
17
posted on
07/09/2008 10:02:55 AM PDT
by
Abathar
(Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
To: Joe 6-pack
Naw, twist them until the stress point just starts to turn white, the paint will cover it fine.
18
posted on
07/09/2008 10:05:15 AM PDT
by
Abathar
(Proudly posting without reading the article carefully since 2004)
To: Abathar
Wood. Just like Polaris missile nose cones...
19
posted on
07/09/2008 10:06:26 AM PDT
by
null and void
(every Muslim, the minute he can differentiate, carries hate of Americans, Jews & Christians - OBL)
To: XR7
Stories like this make me glad I decided some time ago to never fly again.
I feel sorry for those that have to fly every week. Putting up with all the crap must be very stressful.
20
posted on
07/09/2008 10:06:57 AM PDT
by
upchuck
(As we doggedly march towards dystopia, my poor country is losing it's mind. God help us!)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-53 next last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson
