Aircraft Structural Design Handbook for Lower Cost Maintenance and Repair
Abstract
This document has been prepared to serve a growing need in the military to reduce aircraft structural maintenance costs to a more reasonable level commensurate with acceptable life-cycle costs. It is designed as an informative guide which will aid the aircraft designer in foreseeing maintenance problems and make proper trade-off evaluations to optimize the structural design for total life-cycle costs. The handbook points up several examples of high maintenance cost items on existing in-service aircraft and suggests changes to substantially reduce the life-cycle cost. In addition, many other costly maintenance items discovered during visits to military and industry maintenance and repair facilities are cited which could have been avoided or substantially reduced by more cost-effective considerations for serviceability during design. In this respect, the handbook includes, not only information on past problem areas in the form of 'lessons learned' but recommended considerations during initial design of every aspect of structural development. Since corrosion damage repair was found to be one of the most costly maintenance items, a part of the handbook provides design information usable in its prevention. Also, since the handbook is directed primarily toward the development of military aircraft, a section is devoted to battle damage and design considerations to increase survivability and permit repairs to minimize downtime on the aircraft.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADB018757
Entities
People
- R. W. Nickel
- W. E. Routh
- Walter D. Dotseth