Aero-News: Quote of the Day

ANN's Quote of the Day usually derives from current news, though we reserve the right to pick quotes out of history that have a bearing on the day's events and issues.

Sometimes, you'll find them timely and in keeping with the content of the day's news... and sometimes, they'll just be thought-provoking.

Reader suggestions and comments are welcome... and if particularly intriguing, timely, or poignant, may themselves become future Quotes of the Day.

Let us hear from you, folks!

Aero-News Quote of the Day

“This test should unequivocally quell any lingering misconceptions that somehow a composite airframe isn’t as durable as an aluminum airframe.”

Source: Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation Vice President of Engineering Tom Bowen. A Columbia airframe -- complete with more than 100 sites of deliberately inflicted unrepaired damage, a host of structural and nonstructural repairs plus as many as 25 intentional manufacturing defects -- was recently subjected to a punishing fatigue analysis equivalent to 25,000 flight hours at loads exceeding the Columbia’s Utility Category certification levels. The result? The airframe absorbed the loads, stress and punishment... while the testing fixture, made of high-strength steel, was beginning to fail due to metal fatigue.

FMI: www.flycolumbia.com