F. Eberl, Alcan Rhenalu, Issoire Cedex, France; F. Bron, B. Bes, Alcan, Voreppe, France; H. Ribes, Alcan Aerospace Transportation and Industry, Issoire Cedex, France; S. Van der Veen, Alcan Aerospace, Issoire, France; S. Jambu, PECHINEY Aviatube, Montreuil-Juigné, France; G. Broden, Airbus, Bremen, Germany

Summary:

The fuselage structure of future commercial aircraft will need to meet stringent stability and damage tolerance requirements, as well as ambitious weight and cost reduction targets. These objectives can best be met through simultaneous improvements in material, structural concept and manufacturing technology. For example, there is a bright future for welded stiffened fuselage shells - a new structural concept enabled by a new manufacturing technology - if new weldable alloys can be developed that allow increased weight savings on top of the well known cost savings. This is why Airbus has initiated research & development collaborations with its material suppliers in order to integrate material, structural concept and manufacturing technology R&D.

Between Alcan Aerospace and Airbus, work on an advanced metallic fuselage progresses well. New weldable alloys for skins, stringers and frames are under development by Alcan. 2139, PA734, PA765, 2098, 2195, 2196 and 2050 are prime candidates that will be presented. Their property balance is currently being fine-tuned to meet clearly defined weight and cost saving targets that drive the project.

These overall targets of the material property balances have been defined by Airbus during the collaborative activity. A large number of analyses have been run to evaluate the weight and cost of typical fuselage structure using new materials. The examples shown focus on the lower shell located just behind the center wing box. Besides some very promising weight and cost saving predictions for specific parts of the fuselage, the work done so far has provided a solid basis for the joint development of new concepts, technologies and materials for other parts. This way, the weight and cost saving objectives for the fuselage as a whole can be confronted with confidence.