A SUMMARY OF WEIGHT SAVINGS DATA FOR COMPOSITE VSTOL STRUCTURE

This paper summarizes the weight savings that have been obtained over the last ten years through the application of advanced composite materials to each of the major structural weight groups of a VSTOL airframe. The data has been drawn from journal articles, published papers, RAD reports, and personal communications. Helicopter, VSTOL, and fixed wing applications of composites have been included. The data is not comprehensive but represents a significant sampling of all recent composite airframe designs.