ABSTRACT
Future applications of polymer composite materials on supersonic transport aircraft will require these materials to withstand environmental conditions more severe then current subsonic aircraft and for a longer period of time then current supersonic fighter aircraft. A typical flight environment for a supersonic transport aircraft would expose the composite material to temperatures up to 177°C/350°F for a duration of approximately 60,000 hours. Material durability is, therefore, a critical design issue. Long term testing is required to demonstrate materials capabilities and to explore its weaknesses. Durability modeling efforts will use this data to characterize the changes in the material performance and predict their behavior after aging.
