Electromagnetic characterization and validation of aircraft composite materials

This paper reports an electromagnetic characterization of typical composite materials found in structural parts of aircraft using a method based on uncalibrated S-parameters. Dielectric constants of 4.60 and 1.84 and loss tangent of 2.0×10-2 and 6.1×10-2 have been obtained for fiberglass and honeycomb composite materials, respectively. Numerical simulations, based on the electromagnetic parameters obtained in the material characterization, and experiments in a semi-anechoic chamber have been carried out in the L- and C-bands. A 3.0 m prototype of an Embraer light jet aircraft dorsal fin had been fabricated and used in the experiments.