Flight service evaluation of PRD-49/epoxy composite panels in wide-bodied commercial transport aircraft

Fairing panels were fabricated to evaluate the fabrication characteristics and flight service performance of PRD-49 (Kevlar-49) a composite reinforcing material and to compare it with the fiberglass which is currently in use. Panel configurations were selected to evaluate the PRD-49 with two resin matrix materials in sandwich and solid laminate construction. Left and right hand versions of these configurations were installed on L-1011's which will accumulate approximately 3000 flight hours per year per aircraft. The direct substitution of PRD-49 for fiberglass produced a twenty-six percent weight reduction on the panel configurations. Examination of these panels revealed that there was no visible difference between the PRD-49 and adjacent fiberglass panels.