System and method for monitoring the state of structural components

A system for monitoring the integrity of a structure or of a structural component in an aircraft, comprising:

• at least one vacuum source;
• at least one device for acquiring at least one of an air volume flow or the air pressure,
• at least one structural component manufactured by extrusion or extrusion molding with at least one elongated air duct which by leaving out material in the profile cross section of the structural component is integrated in the structural component as a continuous hollow space in the manufacture of the structural component,
• wherein the air duct is connectable to the vacuum source and the at least one device for acquiring the at least one of the air volume flow or the air pressure in the at least one elongated air duct,
• wherein in the case of a structure that is intact in the region of the at least one elongated air duct, the air pressure in the air duct substantially corresponds to the air pressure of the vacuum source, and essentially no air volume flow passes through the air duct, while if a structural defect occurs in the region of the air duct, air from the surroundings of the structure or of the structural component enters the air duct and detectably increases the air pressure and the air volume flow in the at least one elongated air duct;
• and
• a plurality of valves for blocking the air flow and for narrowing down a region comprising a structural defect,
• wherein, in a case of a damage to an airduct, the damage dividing airduct into a first segment and a second segment, the first segment having a first end and a second end, the second segment having a third end and a fourth end, the second and the third ends being adjacent to the damage being sealed off and the first end and the fourth end interconnected by a bridge line for restoring a function of the damaged airduct.