TESTIA GmbH in cooperation with Airbus Group Innovations, Airbus Helicopters and the Technical University Munich recently inspected unusual aircraft components of the Deutsches Museum Munich using Micro Computed Tomography. Otto Lilienthal, one of the flying pioneers, already knew about the advantages of composite materials. He built in 1893 the so called Normalsegelapparat (engl.: normal soaring apparatus) out of willow wood and was most probably the first person who repeatable flew with a glider.
Over the time, one of his remaining gliders was damaged by common house borer beetles (“wood worms”) and the Deutsches Museum wanted to preserve the glider parts. There was an interest in determining the inner complexity of worm canals. Computed Tomography is an ideal tool for the 3-dimensional non-destructive analysis of inner structures and was very helpful to evaluate the next steps of preserving the historical items.
This project is a testimony to both, the good community relations of Airbus and its affiliated companies in Munich and the wide-ranging expertise and technological capabilities.