B-1B Structural Fatigue Test to End Next Year After Simulated 73 Years of Flying
Nov. 17, 2020 | By John A. Tirpak
The Air Force expects to conclude its structural fatigue test of a B-1B bomber next year, after a seven-year process and the amassing of almost 73 years of simulated flying time.
The fatigue test, underway since 2012, is being conducted on the carcass and wing of a retired B-1B harvested from the boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., and was expected to conclude this year. The plan is to stress the fuselage to a “certified service life†of 27,000 hours, while the wing is being stressed to 28,000 hours, an Air Force Materiel Command spokesman said. The B-1B, which was delivered between 1985 and 1988, was originally specified for a service life of about 8,000 hours, and has undergone service life extension programs since. At least one B-1B has racked up about 12,500 hours.
Boeing, which inherited the program from the original prime, Rockwell, is performing the test. It was initially expected to take five years, but has been interrupted several times to repair structural failures.
https://www.airforcemag.com/b-1b-structural-fatigue-test-to-end-next-year-after-simulated-73-years-of-flying/
