Integrated system for aircraft crack detection

A system for detecting cracks in a completed aircraft on the ground wherein the aircraft has a fuselage and a wing comprising:

• a) a framework disposed about the fuselage and extending over a majority of the length of the fuselage;
• b) support means supporting a plurality of sensors in operative position with respect to a surface of the aircraft to be tested, the sensors having means to generate a signal upon detecting a crack in the aircraft, the support means comprising:
• i) at least one mounting beams;
• ii) mounting means to mount the plurality of sensors on the at least on mounting beam;
• and,
• iii) attaching means to attach the at least one mounting beam to a surface of the wing;
• c) means for applying loads to the aircraft simulating the loads encountered by the aircraft during flight comprising at least one first inflatable bag member located beneath the wing such that, when the at least one bag member is inflated it contacts a lower surface of the wing to exert upward loads thereon;
• d) at least one second inflatable bag member located between the support framework and an upper portion of the fuselage such that, when the at least one second bag member is inflated, it exerts downward loads on the fuselage;
• and,
• e) means to analyze the signals generated by the sensors during the application of the loads to detect any crack in the aircraft.

A method for detecting cracks in a completed aircraft on the ground wherein the aircraft has a fuselage and a wing comprising the steps of:

• a) placing the completed aircraft within a framework such that the framework extends over a majority of the length of the fuselage;
• b) placing a plurality of sensors in operative position with respect to a surface of the aircraft to be tested, the sensors having means to generate a signal upon detecting a crack in the aircraft airframe by the steps of:
• i) mounting the sensors on at least one mounting beam;
• and,
• ii) attaching the at least one mounting beam to a surface of the wing;
• c) applying loads to the aircraft simulating the loads encountered by the aircraft during flight by the steps of:
• i) placing at least one first inflatable bag member beneath the wing;
• and,
• ii) inflating the first bag member such that it contacts a lower surface of the wing and exerts upward loads on the wing;
• d) placing at least one second inflatable bag member between the framework and an upper portion of the fuselage;
• e) inflating the second bag member so as to contact the framework and the upper portion of the fuselage so as to exert downward loads on the fuselage;
• and,
• f) analyzing signals generated by the plurality of sensors during the application of the loads to detect and locate any cracks in the airframe under test.