Thats it their out my life....

[GMAs]

no a friend over at ANN sent it to me... he did the story on the new plane at the big convention that they had... and yes it was a quote from one of their management people who was doing the interview... he thought it something that I would like to read... as they seem to do a lot of compairson to the skymaster with their aircraft...so he said...

their were several other areas that he questioned... one was a comment about fiberglass airplanes being here to stay... and that alu was on the wayout... I replied ... don't think so... it still is the material of choice because it is predictable... fiberglass is not... testing meths are not standardized.. or at least going around and tapping on it with a quarter is not what I would call " complete".... current known NDT methods don't seem to work on fiberglass.. and what is known about it.... well I think the guy from hexel said it the best... we won't sell to people who are making airplanes.. or at least don't want to know it... this material degrades at a level depending on several factors that most don't have the tools to control when assembling... thus the strenght of it can vary tremendiously.. you have to look at the basics of the chem of the product... it is a crystilization of a resin... that holds it togeather and the glass material is the strenght.. by making layers to improve the strength.. you are introducing geometric stresses that can cause catastropic results when used in aircraft. Little is known about the product at different temps also... so predictiabiltiy and engineering data is almost non existant in this area. (the reason that the varieze boys (rutan) are not selling their planes anymore... they know.. they know... smile)

(Note: I attended a EAA meeting and their they had the big debate of fiberglass over alu .... knowing what the engineer said... I proceeded to review some of the items that they had on the tables... one such item was a demonstration 5 layer flat piece of fiberglass.. which the builder was saying was stronger than the same thickness of alu... of course it weighted more... but, to show someone is worth a lot of words... so I asked if it was stronger than the piece of alu that was right next to it... YA the guy said... and cheeper too.. Oh.. was my reply.. do you mind if I try and bend and tear it... No..No.. go right ahead... and try... he snickered... its stronger than alu... I reached for it.. and upon examination.. took it in both hands and imediately tore it in half... the builder and the rest all heard it tear... the room got real quiet...so I put the two pieces down on the table and just smiled... and said.. if you hear that sound when your flying... bail out... and then left... None of the other builders who were using fiberglass were saying much anymore about how great it was.. and immediatly rushed over and looked at the two pieces... ahhh you say.. how did I know... and do that... well if you look at fiberglass... it is make up in layers... each with the same strength... now if we apply a little physics.. we can see that it makes a little folcrum and reacts with the others... so the layer under compression is transfering its stress to the next layer... and the next is multplying it to the next.. etc... and thus you have a mechanical advantage.. and can by applying a little pressure in the right spot can cause it to break... sort of like the guys who can rip telephone books with their bare hands... its a lot like the same principle... they don't have to be strong.. just understand physics.. kinda thing.... so metals don't have the mechanical make up like they have to do with fiberglass.. and thus it take a lot more to rip the alu than you can generate with armstrong strenght... only if you layer it and bond it togeather... which rivets don't do completely... smile...

I am sorry that I have gotten rid of the E mail he sent and can't send it to you... If I kept everthing.. I would have a full hard dirve.. and not be able to use it for other things.. so after I cut and sent ... I replied and then killed the space it was taking... sorry...

We do have several friends over at ANN as well as AVWeb... I have talked with the editors of both numerous times... on a vast area of avation subjects.. even before this (peters) board was though of... but, for some reason we DON'T allow them to link to ours and vice versa... I have sent several E mails to you about them wanting too... but, then again they don't like some of the (one who is not a true avator but, a user and doesn't do a credit for the journalism trade)...I agree with them...when he made his true colors known... and as such have also ignored him... but, this person who some on this board refer to... somethimes... has his rights too... is so I guess we don't get to link up...

If you think back you will know who I mean... and as I said watch him.. as he will use you and this group to further his own...so he thinks..

Anyway... its a old topic that goes on and on... and I get mail.... I once told them that if I ever was that engrossed with promoting myself.. and they noticed it.. to kick me... which they have several times on different topics that were heated arguements with the FAA and cont engine... that they sat in on... Ya we do talk about avation but, most of the time I stick to the mechanical things... they are less likely to result in name calling... but, as some have read... I can be a dragon and start breathing fire... but, that happens only rarely... smile.. right larry... and its usually not in defense of my person.. but rather over the agression of the other person to lead people the wrong way... and they could get hurt doing what they (the opposition ) says... kinda thing...

Ya I can make a navy man blush.. but, I am a easy going silverback 300 lb bear... that they don't want to miff off.. smile... I don't like to see people get ripped off or hurt... and sometimes you do have to get down to basics...in language.. smile... and ignore other things...