[ValerieUSA]

If the airliner crashed to the ground on a perfectly beautiful clear morning simply because it happened to disintegrate in the air, that make of plane would have been grounded all around the world immediately.
To me random reasonless disintegration is a scarier thought than deliberate terrorist acts.

[COEXERJ145]

Ok, then why was the 747 not grounded after JAL 123 crashed following the inflight lose of its tail?

[johnb838]

Well... it was jet wash from that plane two miles ahead. Riiiiight.

[narby]

that make of plane would have been grounded all around the world immediately.

All similar vertical stablizers on that type (A-320 ??)in the world were inspected immediatly.

The problem with composite construction is that you cannot determine without destroying the part whether it is structurally sound, or not. X-rays don't work. Accustics only work if there is an existing measurement of the part at a previous time (and you're assuming that the part was good to begin with).

Composites can be flawed because of contamination during construction. Bad mix of epoxy. Improper temperature during layup. Almost anything.

I know this because I'm building a composite airplane in my garage now. They're typically designed two times stronger than desired, just in case you screw up.

But there's no guarantees.

The vertical stablizer fell off that airplane at the 4 attach points. No explosive residue, or damage on those bolts was seen (pictures of the attach points were in the paper, at the wreck site, the next day). No physical "sawing" or other damage was on them. Just a garden variety composite delamination.

Without its vertical, the airplane spun around sideways in the air, fliped up its wings, overstressed the engine pods, which fell off, and then the wings themselves failed.

If you can tell me how an Al-Qaeda operative could make that accident sequence happen, let me know.

I really don't like flying on A-320s, or any Airbus equipment. And I really wish Boeing would stick with aluminum.

[lizma]

To me random reasonless disintegration is a scarier thought than deliberate terrorist acts.

Good point!

I knew a guy, employed by an outside firm (i.e. nongovernmental), who was involved in the investigation. He swears there was no evidence of terrorism.

I don't know but I'd prefer terrorism to an industry sooo sloppy and corrupt that they would risk plane parts flying off for profit.