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2 Study Charter and Methodology Late in 1985, the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Research Council, at the request of the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis- tration's (NASA) Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology, formed a committee that was chartered to assess the status and viability of organic composite tech- nology for aircraft structures. The charter directed the committee to concentrate on advanced organic composites. The committee was to make recommendations concerning ways that federally sponsored research and technology development pro- grams could produce a more rapid and timely translation of the potential of these composites into production aircraft. The committee responded to this charter by: 1. Reviewing pertinent government aircraft application, design, production, and service experience with advanced organic composites. Agencies included NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Navy. 2. Conducting a forum at which aerospace engineers from prominent design, manufacturing, and operating industrial segments (transports, airline operators, rotorcraft, high-performance aircraft, general aviation, and material producers) pre- sented their views on status, viability, future applications, and technology develop- ment needs. 3. Reviewing ongoing federal research and development programs and the per- ceptions of the various government agencies of issues germane to future applications and technology development program needs. 4. Conducting a workshop to assess critically the data and opinions amassed during steps 1, 2, and 3 and to prepare an outline and a rough draft of this report.
The committee arrived at its findings and developed recommendations through an examination of the following aspects of advanced organic composite material technology: ⢠Potential benefits ⢠Inhibiting factors ⢠Needs for technology development ⢠Possible government actions The committee found it convenient to partition the "universe" of this study into the following elements: ⢠Large transports ⢠Rotorcraft ⢠High-performance aircraft ⢠General aviation as well as ⢠Materials ⢠Airline operators A summary of the committee's examination of these complex matters is pre- sented in the report's Supplement. The Supplement has two parts: (1) Program Assessment; and (2) Response to Government Issues and Questions. A Synopsis of Presentations to the Committee is presented in Appendix A. The committee arrived at its findings and recommendations through deliberation and its workshop activity.
