Trailing edge repairs to all-metal construction
assemblies and/or control surfaces are performed by
using basically the same procedures outlined in the
chapter titled “Aircraft Metallic Repair.” A typical
trailing edge repair to a sandwich construction
assembly is shown in figure 14-20.
You may use the lap or flush patch, depending on
the size of the damage, the type of aircraft, and the
assembly or control surface to be repaired. Normally,
the flush patch is used on control surfaces to ensure
aerodynamic smoothness.
TYPES OF ADVANCED COMPOSITE
MATERIALS
The reduced availability of natural resources, the
increasing costs of production, and the apparent limit
to our ability to fabricate high strength-to-weight
metallic components necessitated the development of
new materials to meet the demands of aerospace
technology. In the following text, you will be intro-
duced to the materials that provide high-performance
capability now, with great expectations for the future.
These materials are called advanced composite
materials and will be used to replace some of the
metals currently used in aircraft construction.
Advanced composites are materials consisting of
a combination of high-strength stiff fibers embedded
in a common matrix (binder) material, generally
laminated with plies arranged in various directions to
give the structure strength and stiffness.
The much stiffer fibers of boron, graphite, and
Kevlar® have given composite materials structural
properties superior in strength to the metal alloys that
they have replaced. Specific applications of advanced
composite materials and approximate percentages of
total aircraft structures for some of our modern-day
aircraft are shown in table 14-1.
Figure 14-20.—Trailing edge repair (sandwich construction).
14-18
