Composite Horizontal Stabilizer for the B-1-Design, Fabrication, and Test

The composite design for the B-1 stabilizer was developed to satisfy all of the form, fit, and functional requirements of the aircraft and to be competitive with the metal stabilizer on both a weight and production cost basis. Actual weights of the composite stabilizer show a 15 percent savings for the total stabilizer and a 21 percent savings for the composite torque box over the existing metal configuration. Cost savings of 17 to 20 percent are estimated in production.

The design that evolved from this effort, the test data generated to validate the concept, the fabrication procedures used, and production cost comparisons are presented.