Airworthiness certification of titanium alloys for aeronautical applications

An aircraft and its aeroengine is designed to get highest thrust to weight ration and high fuel efficiency, so as to keep its place in the competitive world market. Light weight, longer period between overhauls and trouble free operation, therefore, assume significance in component design and material selection. Among the three classes of aeroengine materials namely special steels, superalloys and titanium alloys, the later has the highest specific strength upto ~600oC. So far, all these alloys were being imported from collaborator's approved sources. On establishing production facilities at MIDHANI, import substitution was undertaken to achieve self-reliance. This paper deals with the aspects on certification of titanium alloys indigenously produced for Russian, Wester and Indian aeroengines and aircraft.