Author: Robert Pilarczyk

In the early days of aviation, the concept of fatigue life was not a prime consideration in design. Aircraft did not typically have a long service life and were designed based on ultimate strength. Early aircraft failures occurred due to component/system failures, combat damage, and pilot error. Aircraft did not typically last long enough for fatigue to become an issue. As the design of aircraft became more sophisticated and pilot skill increased, aircraft began to last longer and fatigue became a critical concern. Continue reading Evolution of USAF Damage Tolerance design philosophy