Foreword This Second Edition of Composite Materials for Aircraft Structures edited by Alan Baker,Stuart Dutton and Donald Kelly is an updated,comprehensive treatment of a stimulating and challenging subject in the aerospace field with ever increasing importance.The First Edition has proven to be a valuable part of the AIAA Education Book Series,and we are delighted to welcome this new edition to the series.The lead editor of the First Edition,Brian Hoskin,has since passed away,but the new editorial team has done an admirable job of maintaining the high standards of the earlier book.The Second Edition features considerable new and updated material,and there are now 16 chapters and an appendix.The evolution of this edition is traced in the Preface. The AlAA Education Series aims to cover a very broad range of topics in the general aerospace field,including basic theory,applications and design.A complete list of titles published in the series can be found on the last pages in this volume.The philosophy of the series is to develop textbooks that can be used in a college or university setting,instructional materials for intensive continuing education and professional development courses,and also books that can serve as the basis for independent self study for working professionals in the aerospace field.We are constantly striving to expand and upgrade the scope and content of the series,so suggestions for new topics and authors are always welcome. JOSEPH A.SCHETZ Editor-in-Chief AlAA Education Series viliForeword This Second Edition of Composite Materials for Aircraft Structures edited by Alan Baker, Stuart Dutton and Donald Kelly is an updated, comprehensive treatment of a stimulating and challenging subject in the aerospace field with ever increasing importance. The First Edition has proven to be a valuable part of the AIAA Education Book Series, and we are delighted to welcome this new edition to the series. The lead editor of the First Edition, Brian Hoskin, has since passed away, but the new editorial team has done an admirable job of maintaining the high standards of the earlier book. The Second Edition features considerable new and updated material, and there are now 16 chapters and an appendix. The evolution of this edition is traced in the Preface. The AIAA Education Series aims to cover a very broad range of topics in the general aerospace field, including basic theory, applications and design. A complete list of titles published in the series can be found on the last pages in this volume. The philosophy of the series is to develop textbooks that can be used in a college or university setting, instructional materials for intensive continuing education and professional development courses, and also books that can serve as the basis for independent self study for working professionals in the aerospace field. We are constantly striving to expand and upgrade the scope and content of the series, so suggestions for new topics and authors are always welcome. JOSEPH A, SCHETZ Editor-in-Chief AIAA Education Series vii