A Semi-Adaptive Approach to In-Flight Monitoring Using Acoustic Emission

Acoustic emission (AE) is one of several promising non-destructive inspection (NDI) techniques for assessing defect growth in aircraft. Its potential for monitoring defects on a continuous basis, in situ, has stimulated various laboratories to carry out extensive research and application programmes in AE. Much of this work is applicable to structural testing of aircraft (I) and may later be applicable for use as part of a damage tolerance approach for aircraft stuctural management.