ABSTRACT
Typical structural elements made of advanced composites in fighter aircraft include horizontal and vertical stabilizers, flaps, wing skins, and various control surfaces, totaling weight savings of 20% (Gibson 1994). Other important structural elements are helicopter rotor blades. As for the use of advanced composites in commercial aircraft, they enter into the manufacturing of up to 30% of the external surface area (Gibson 1994). However, currently they are only conservatively used in secondary structures in large aircraft.
