Damage tolerance, or the design philosophy that allows for crack growth up to certain limits, depends ultimately on feedback from the fleet to assure that actual cracks on planes in service match predictions. In this respect, service difficulty reports (SDRs) are fundamental to damage tolerance, because they provide regulators with examples of cracking, the problems encountered, the fixes, and the ages of the aircraft. While SDRs are key to managing fatigue, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not demand comprehensive…
Interrelationship of Factors Supporting ‘Damage Tolerance’ Outlined
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