Jon.M wrote:How do you repair a composite hull that has had fire damage in an area where there are two doors (weak) and a pressure bulkhead?
Filler and an aerosol can of paint? I bet Halfords can do Boeing 787 white. Or maybe some Duct/Duck tape?
Is repairing composite airliner hulls unknown territory?
Jon
Repairing was an issue brought up generally but already some knocks have been fixed on 787's
Ths aircraft though might be written off, or so it is being said.
The thinking would be I guess wondering about making an effective repair to a fuse to last many years or stripping it down and adding it to the line again
This was done with at least three almost new Viscounts, the undamged paarts were just returned to the line...in a way it would be repairing by fitting the aeroplane with a new fuse.
Then again they might just repair it.
Garry
"In the world of virtual reality things are not always what they seem."
I've read the same speculation that the hull may not be repairable. Stripping the hull and putting the almost new parts back on the line sounds logical if that is the case. Thanks for the explanation and the Viscount background.
Looking at the cases of a couple of 747's that crash years after tail strike repairs...OK not carried out properly but those repairs were based on many years of experience of that sort of construction and should have been fine if done correctly
This is new...who would want to issue a major repair and be sure the hull integrity would remain as it should be for perhaps thirty years??. In addition it is not a bash but caused by intense heat in a confined area...how can they be sure how much of the structure is damaged and how? Is it worth the effort and still not be sure??
I doubt if Boeing or anyone would want to risk something else as even minor problems will be magnified due to the previous issues.
You can replace the fin and even fit new wings, but you can't fit an existing aeroplane with a new fuse...well you could if you parted it out and bunged it back on the line
So writing off a brand new aeroplane is not as drastic as it sounds, or at least wasn't in the cases that this was done.
Seeing that you would only be re using good, unaffected parts there is no danger of even the smallest damaged part being repaired and later causing issues and of course it would be a new aeroplane not a repaired machine in any way whatsoever.
Garry
"In the world of virtual reality things are not always what they seem."
Ideal speculation but I wonder if it might be worth Boeing's money to swap it for a new one and then use it to trial/demonstrate the planned repair procedures on this one to prove them for later, hopefully less serious, events. After all you have to gain experience somewhere and with the 787 I think they need to start generating some positive feelings amongst the airlines pretty fast.
Accident investigators are confirming the cause of the fire was the battery in the emergency beacon and have recommended all 787s have their beacons turned off.
Any reports of passengers refusing to fly on a 787 yet?
Not only could useful info be gleaned for the 787 but for all future aeroplane construction in a way the Comet disasters taught many lessons adopted by all.
Garry
"In the world of virtual reality things are not always what they seem."
