Airframe Structural Design: Practical Design Information and Data on Aircraft Structures

This book represents several decades of data collection, research, conversations with different airframe specialists, plus the author's more than twenty years' experience in airframe structural design. In addition, the text is partly based on the author's lecture (Structures Symposium of Airframe Design) for the Lockheed Extension Education Program (LEEP). From a structural standpoint, the book is intended to be used as a tool to help achieve structural integrity according to government regulations, specifications, criteria, etc., for designing commercial or military transports, military fighters, as well as general aviation aircraft. It can also be considered as a troubleshooting guide for airline structural maintenance and repair engineers or as a supplementary handbook in teaching aircraft structural design in college. This book is divided into a total of sixteen chapters and emphasizes itemized write-ups, tables, graphs and illustrations to lead directly to points of interest. The data can be used for designing and sizing airframe structures and, wherever needed, example calculations are presented for clarification. As technology continues to progress, basic technical data hold* true, however, to suit today's design such as advanced composite structure some modification to the analysis may be required. There are many aspects of design of aircraft structures. For modern jet aircraft, the design must incorporate clear aerodynamic shapes for long range flight near or at supersonic speeds, and/or wings to open up like parachutes at very low speeds. The wings must serve as fuel tanks and engine support structures. All structures must withstand hail and lightning strikes, and must operate in, and be protected against, corrosive environments indigenous to all climates. The structure must be serviceable from 15 to 20 years with minimum maintenance and still be light enough to be economically competitive...