New Part 23 certification relies on Performance Standards
ASTM issues F3498 for Fatigue Loads Spectra
Applies to all GA materials for airplane wing and/or empennage
The promise of a new PERFORMANCE-BASED certification of Part 23 is being realized. The aviation industry, the FAA, the world’s leading certificating CAAs and the aerospace engineering professional sector spent years transforming the old Airworthiness Standards Normal Category Airplanes into an innovative set of rules which rely more heavily on relevant engineering tests than the of prescriptive criteria.
One of the keys to this transition is the reliance on the globally recognized engineering standard setting organization, ASTM.
The below article announces the issuance of one such standard for certificating small aircraft by ASTM’s general aviation aircraft committee (F44). As the chair of F44, Textron’s senior engineering specialist, A.K.M. Haque, explained that F3498 will provide the standard for Part 23 applicants, Part 145 to seek approval for aircraft changes.
Fatigue load spectra will provide an engineering basis to assess wing and/or empennage, the stabilizing surfaces on an aircraft’s tail F3498 is not material specific, thus simplifying the analyses for designs of different materials. The standard defines overall fatigue load spectra for conventionally designed airplane wing and/or empennage. The standard can be used for airplanes that are powered by any type of clean energy.
One step for small aircraft certification and a significant milestone for aircraft certification for all types.
New ASTM Standard Addresses Small Airplane Load Data
– January 29, 2021, 9:47 A
ASTM International has developed a new standard it said will help determine load data for small airplanes. Developed by its general aviation aircraft committee, the new standard will be published as F3498.
Aircraft manufacturers will use the new standard to certify new designs, aircraft MROs to certify changes to aircraft, and regulatory agencies in approving changes by applicants, according to ASTM member A.K.M. Haque. “Fatigue load spectra generated using this practice can be used on small airplanes,” said Haque, a Textron Aviation senior engineer specialist. “It does not depend on the materials used to build the wing and/or empennage, the stabilizing surfaces on an aircraft’s tail.”
He added that the standard defines overall fatigue load spectra for a conventionally designed wing or empennage. It can be used for airplanes powered by any type of clean energy.
NOTE: some of the information and graphics were found at Development of Fatigue Loading Spectra from Flight Test Data – ScienceDirect; Load Spectra | SpringerLink
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