PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - F-35 Cancelled, then what ?
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Old 22nd Dec 2016, 15:36
  #9999 (permalink)  
KenV
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
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My point was that following the failure of this bracket, are there other brackets designed using the same methodologies on the airframe, that MAY be at danger of failing? Obviously it would be helpful if this particular bracket was a unique design, so there is no danger of repetition.
The depends entirely on whether the problem was a design failure, or a failure to understand the loads in the specific environment(s) the bracket was used. An identical bracket could easily last the life of the aircraft in one location, and fail prematurely in another location.

Keep in mind that the failed bracket was in the weapons bay. Also keep in mind that there were some concerns about weapon bay overheating and keeping the doors open to prevent such overheating. It could very well be that the bracket in this specific location experienced higher than anticipated temperatures, higher than anticipated loads, or higher that anticipated cyclic rates, or any combination of the three to cause premature failure. We just don't know. But they know and have already designed a fix and are busily installing it in the fleet. In the meantime they are inspecting the old bracket until it gets replaced with the new one.
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