Application of Damage Tolerance Technology to Type Certification

A brief attempt has been made in this paper to clarify some of the confusion related to damage tolerance philosophy in satisfying the new FAA damage tolerance requirements. Differences between the U. S. Air Force and the FAA criteria are outlined. Steps to be taken in the damage tolerance analysis are itemized and details of required certification testing are included. The benefits of multiple load path crack arrest structure compared to single load path integral construction are outlined. Crack arrest phenomena is briefly described and the benefits of properly attached separate crack arresting elements are illustrated. Discrete source damage verification is discussed with some of the more important details related to the pressurized fuselage. Finally, details of the first damage tolerance substantiation to the new FAA requirements are itemized.