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I know everyone loves the new composite panels, but one cracked on a 737 during a routine check

It happened yesterday afternoon during a visual inspection on the left wing. I spotted a hairline fracture near a fastener, about two inches long. Instead of just logging it and moving on, I had to pull the entire panel for a full repair, which took three extra hours. Has anyone else had issues with these newer materials holding up under stress?
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2 Comments
keith_taylor30
Honestly, that sounds about right. I swear these new panels are like my knees after a weekend of yard work. They look great until you put a little pressure on them, then they just give up. Three hours is a pain, but at least you caught it on the ground. Makes you wonder what they're saving in weight if we're just adding it back in repair time.
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noahpark
noahpark25d ago
That crack sounds smaller than the ones we saw on the old aluminum panels.
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