The Pivotal Role and Current Status of Nondestructive Inspection Systems in the Maintenance of Aging Aircraft

Abstract

This paper discusses the pivotal role that Nondestructive Inspection (NDI) plays not only for maintaining safety through early crack detection in airframes and engines, but also for minimizing corrosion maintenance costs. The paper is based on multiple projects that have supported developing and validating NDI systems for crack detection in airframe and engine components and for corrosion detection in airframe structures. These projects have led to a new understanding of how to develop advanced (automated) NDI systems and how to quantify the capability of an inspection system for accurately detecting crack damage or corrosion damage in a maintenance environment. The paper also addresses the issues associated with how reliable, accurate NDI can also be used to detect (and quantify) the early stages of corrosion damage, so that corrosion control strategies can be implemented.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADP014078

Entities

People

  • Alan Berens
  • Charles Buynak
  • David Stubbs
  • J. P. Gallagher
  • W. C. Hoppe

Organizations

  • University of Dayton

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Detection
  • Detectors
  • Eddy Currents
  • Engineers
  • Handbooks
  • Inspection
  • Maintenance
  • Regression Analysis
  • Standards
  • Structural Components
  • Systems Engineering
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Thickness
  • Transport Aircraft

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