This color picture from 1980 is an official National Aeronautics and Space Administration film report produced for NASA by Boeing in 1979. It dates to the dawn of the composite materials revolution, when a nearly $9 million research program was created to study whether an advanced composite elevator could be made for the cargo version of the Boeing 727. The film describes the development and testing of an advanced composite elevator for the Boeing 727 aircraft, focusing on the use of graphite-epoxy materials to reduce weight and parts compared to traditional aluminum structures. Supported by NASA and Boeing, the project aimed to maintain strength, durability, and flight characteristics while achieving significant weight savings of around 26%. Extensive testing—including material, fatigue, environmental, and lightning protection assessments—ensured the composite elevator met rigorous standards. Full-scale assembly and ground tests were followed by successful flight tests, which confirmed that the composite components did not affect aircraft stability or control. The program demonstrated the viability of advanced composites in aircraft structures and paved the way for their broader application in future aerospace designs. This film shows advances made in the 1970s when the composites industry began to mature. Better plastic resins and improved reinforcing fibers were developed. DuPont developed an aramid fiber known as Kevlar, which has become the product of choice in body armor due to its high tensile strength, high density and light weight. Carbon fiber was also developed around this time; increasingly, it has replaced parts formerly made of steel.
0:00 — The focus in aircraft design has been on strong, lightweight structures, with improvements in aluminum and titanium alloys enhancing strength-to-weight ratios.
0:54 — Fuel efficiency concerns have driven the search for lighter materials that maintain structural integrity without increasing maintenance.
1:10 — Graphite filaments with epoxy resin composites, developed with NASA support, offer 20-30% weight savings compared to conventional metals.
1:44 — Designing with composites can reduce part counts and manufacturing costs.
2:03 — Boeing developed an advanced composite elevator for the Model 727, cutting parts by 40% and weight by 26%.
2:49 — The composite elevator needed to match the metal version in strength, flight characteristics, and interchangeability.
3:04 — Extensive testing was required to assure flight-quality materials and processes.
3:17 — Various graphite and epoxy composite materials were tested for resin content and mechanical durability.
3:53 — Ancillary tests included ground and flight simulations on full-scale components to validate design and manufacturing.
4:30 — The composite 727 elevator features graphite epoxy spars and ribs combined with Nomex honeycomb skins in a sandwich design.
5:11 — Environmental protection was added via tedlar sheets and paint on exposed composite surfaces.
5:28 — Aluminum hinge fittings and actuator parts from the original metal elevator were retained.
5:46 — Fatigue performance under flight sound pressure was tested over two aircraft lifetimes without damage growth.
6:33 — Strength and stiffness were validated by load testing a large elevator segment.
7:01 — Additional tests covered fatigue at the composite-to-metal junction under hot, wet conditions.
7:26 — Lightning protection system testing showed no significant damage after high-current discharges.
8:02 — Experience from test layups aided production of full-scale composite parts using no-bleed resin systems.
8:46 — Completed parts were inspected with ultrasonic non-destructive testing.
9:02 — Full-scale elevators were assembled using adapted tools and titanium fasteners.
10:40 — Assembly included corrosion-preventing sealants and high-speed drilling of composite skins.
11:25 — A finished elevator underwent thorough ground testing including static, fatigue, and destructive load tests.
12:03 — Composite elevators were installed on a Boeing 727 test aircraft for vibration and flight testing.
12:44 — Flight tests confirmed the composites did not affect aircraft control, stability, or electromagnetic compatibility.
13:11 — The program verified weight savings, structural design, and fabrication methods.
13:24 — The experience gained will advance composite technology applications in future aircraft design.
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