True, but we don't have 50 years of experience with composites in
service. Who knows what their deterioration/age related failure modes
may be? Remember, it took a couple of fatal accidents to begin to
understand fatigue and corrosion issues in aluminum...


Matt

Composite materials are pretty well understood by now. The Airbus
problems are not going to be found to be inherent in the materials, but
ones of design and quality control.

My fiberglass glider (Glasflugel H301) has been in service for 41 years.
It has not even been refinished. Most people think it is nearly new when
they see it. The fiberglass has not delaminated anywhere on it, Although
the gelcoat is clearly deteriorating and it will need refinishing soon.
The bird flies regularly. I usually put at least 100 hours/year on it,
more if the weather permits. I flew it over 200 miles this past weekend.
It gets pretty rough treatment compared to most planes. Landing in rough
fields, continuous hard pullups into thermals, often making 2 g turns to
center tight thermal cores, extreme turbulence while mountain flying,
etc. Those wings have flexed through a lot of cycles. That model has
only about 8 AD's (in the US) on it. All concern the metal parts.

Lest you think I'm a 'glass chauvinist, I also have a rag, tube, and
stick airplane (Stits SA-6), and a half share of a 1958 Cessna 175.

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Take out the airplane for reply