More cracks in scarebus wings

[Tupac]

What's the B-52 made of? They are flying strong, and should be for another 20 years.

Boo

B52 are supposed to be around until 2050. They are made of aluminum.

[PR3D4TOR]

They don't fly nearly as often as commercial airliners do though so they don't have that many cycles on them. It's not the age. It's the mileage.

[PR3D4TOR]

Ironically for those of you who decry the use of composites in aircraft, the brackets in question on the A380 are made of metal.

[mtnman]

Ironically for those of you who decry the use of composites in aircraft, the brackets in question on the A380 are made of metal.

But is the metal they were made of a composite?

[PR3D4TOR]

Lol. It's an alloy, yes.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

See Rule #4

[Skuzzy]

What's the B-52 made of? They are flying strong, and should be for another 20 years.

Boo

The B-52's flying today have little to nothing left from the original plane due to updates and parts being replaced as they reach end of service life.  None of them have original thier original wing structures.

[icepac]

The 172 seat rails die because they collect all the sand that people never vacuum out of the plane.

They usually perform well for 27 years before experiencing the failure so we just added checking critical dimensions and making our own determination of maximum allowable wear.

Some planes have zero wear (and clean carpets) and others had mucho wear (and very dirty carpets).

Trend?

[Rich52]

99.9% of airline passengers don't read air safety bulletins, and of those who do (like me) most don't care one bit if it's a Boeing or Airbus logo on their next ride. I really don't have a preference. All the Boeing vs Airbus rhetoric is just bigotry, hot air and bulltoejam, on both sides.

If you really care about traveling safely you'll be better served by being choosy about the make of the taxi you take to the airport rather than the aircraft you fly out on. If it ain't Toyota I ain't going! Wait... that doesn't rime. Never mind.

No but they will read the newspaper. And I bet that 999.9% of those going on the 380 KNOW they are flying the 380.

[colmbo]

The B-52's flying today have little to nothing left from the original plane due to updates and parts being replaced as they reach end of service life.  None of them have original thier original wing structures.

I very much doubt that is a true statement.  It is no simple task to replace the wing structure.  True, the aircraft have been modified but you'll find the original base structure is still there I'm thinking. 

[saggs]

I very much doubt that is a true statement.  It is no simple task to replace the wing structure.  True, the aircraft have been modified but you'll find the original base structure is still there I'm thinking.  

I can't speak for B-52s per se.  But what Skuzzy said doesn't surprise me.

I only say that because I have a friend who worked on a civilian contract for 14 months replacing A-10 wing spars.

[saggs]

Like said before, this whole argument about composites is silly.  They are as safe or safer then any other structural material used on aircraft.  I'm sure the type of people scared of change said the same types of things when aircraft manufacturers started using aluminum instead of wood, or steel.

Of all the dozens airline crashes I've read about I can only think of one example (Swissair 111) where a modern airliner crash was blamed on poor design or material.  The designs are safe, when an airliner crashes due to mechanical, electrical or structural failure 99% of the time it is the fault of maintenance.

[Skuzzy]

I very much doubt that is a true statement.  It is no simple task to replace the wing structure.  True, the aircraft have been modified but you'll find the original base structure is still there I'm thinking. 

I know for a fact all the currently flying B52's have had their entire wings replaced, at least once.  It was a long and expensive project.

[PR3D4TOR]

No but they will read the newspaper. And I bet that 999.9% of those going on the 380 KNOW they are flying the 380.

I seriously doubt it will have any lasting impact on passenger traffic. When the 737's were falling out of the sky for unknown reasons (the infamous servo valve problem) people still flew on them. When Air France 447 disappeared in the south Atlantic for unknown reasons and the media were speculating wildly if it was the composite tail "again", people still flew on Airbus A330's. They even continued to fly on that very same Air France route.

I wouldn't worry.

[Zeagle]

I seriously doubt it will have any lasting impact on passenger traffic. When the 737's were falling out of the sky for unknown reasons (the infamous servo valve problem) people still flew on them. When Air France 447 disappeared in the south Atlantic for unknown reasons and the media were speculating wildly if it was the composite tail "again", people still flew on Airbus A330's. They even continued to fly on that very same Air France route.

I wouldn't worry.

And sheep will continue to follow sheep right off the cliff....most people have no clue as to the events or technology associated with air travel. It's just like a bus ride to them. They just get in line, get on, and go. Not much thinking involved.