Introduction
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‘An Impossible Dream’ – will be published later this year. Draft text of the book is here presented for comment. Copyright applies.
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About all composite aircrafts.
‘An Impossible Dream’ presents an in depth review of the application of plastic composites in aircraft, in particular all-composite aircraft presently developed by Boeing – 787 Dreamliner – and by Airbus – A350 XWB. Composites do not provide the expected weight savings and the safety of all-composite aircraft can be seriously questioned. These aircraft will never attain the safety standards set by aluminum aircraft – not even near. It is therefore difficult to understand why Boeing and Airbus engage themselves with such projects. The book presents a detailed review of the development of these aircraft, reflects on history and discusses the pros and cons of composites in some detail – an alternative approach is put forward.
Introduction
1. Aiming for complete control of the market
About an entertaining relationship
2. Lessons from history
About ignorance
3. Front runner
About Dreamliner 787
4. In comfortable second position
About A350
5. Pro and con and so on
About composites
6. Not suitable
About damage tolerance
7. All things considered
About aluminium reinforced composites
All composite anatomy
References
Appendix – Comet accident
Appendix – Concorde accident
Appendix – Columbia accident