Whatever caused the Airbus disaster, there's one thing the industry fears

摘要

The cause of flight AF447S destruction over the Atlantic last week remains unknown, but one factor that the aviation industry will be hoping to rule out is structural failure, If they cannot, they may be forced to rethink the next revolution in aviation: replacement of metal aircraft with those made from lightweight composite materials.rnThe move to carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) is the biggest shift in aircraft design since the introduction of all-aluminium pressurised aircraft in the 1950s, It is much lighterthan metal, so planes can carry more passengers with the same amount of fuel, Airlines have been introducing carbon-fibre parts, such as rudders and tail fins, over the last two decades, and in a few weeks the first aircraft with a pressurised CFRP fuselage, the Boeing 787, will make its maiden flight, The Airbus A350 follows in 2012.