Testing of the Bombardier CSeries aircraft's composite demonstrator wing is under way, representing another significant milestone in the development of the all new aircraft due to enter service in 2013.
The testing is taking place at Bombardier's Belfast facility, which is responsible for the design, development and manufacture of the advanced composite wings for the CSeries aircraft. The Belfast operation has successfully assembled a full scale, three-quarter span pre-production demonstrator wing using its unique resin transfer infusion process.
The composite wing represents an innovative leap forward in aviation design and technology. A specially designed rig was constructed for the demonstrator test programme. This rig represents the outer wing to centre wing box and centre fuselage attachments, including a simulated main landing gear leg and a simulated engine and pylon.
Controlled loading will be applied to these key areas of the demonstrator, thereby replicating the maximum loading conditions that the wing will see in service. The subsequent data collected will enable Bombardier's engineers to validate their stress and design assumptions.
“Producing this demonstrator has been a significant investment for us, but will bring significant benefits,” said Michael Ryan, vice-president and general manager, Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast. “Through a rigorous testing programme, we will get real test data from the demonstrator which will enable us to optimise the design of the actual CSeries aircraft production wing. This will allow us to create the lightest weight solution with the utmost confidence in the wing's structural integrity.
“Having carried out several thousand individual material and detail tests to date, we are delighted with the progress of the CSeries aircraft wing development programme, and are looking forward to gathering the data that will help us to determine the wing's final design,” added Ryan.
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