A technician performing maintenance or inspection work on the landing gear of a large commercial airplane inside an aircraft hangar. The scene is illuminated with a blue tint, highlighting the aircraft's engines and the structural details of the hangar.

Nondestructive Testing in the Aerospace Industry

NDT technicians ensure safety and reliability across the full lifecycle of aircraft and spacecraft. From quality assurance in manufacturing to facilitating maintenance, repair, and overhaul, NDT is essential in the highly complex and safety-critical aerospace industry.

Ensuring Aerospace Safety and Reliability from Manufacture to End of Service

Air travel and transport and orbital spacecraft are so common today that most people take for granted our ability to go vast distances in a few hours, get packages overnight, and communicate via satellite. Yet, the aerospace industry is incredibly complex, relying on the expertise and dedication of thousands of skilled people every day.

Failures caused by seemingly minor defects—metal fatigue, stress cracks, or manufacturing defects—can have catastrophic consequences .

2010: Qantas Flight 32 experienced an uncontained engine failure shortly after takeoff. Although the aircraft landed safely with no injuries, the incident was severe.
2018: Engine failure during Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 caused debris to strike the fuselage, decompressing the cabin and resulting in a passenger death.
2021: When an engine failed shortly after takeoff of United Airlines Flight 328, parts of the engine cowling fell into residential areas.

In an industry that’s constantly evolving, high-profile incidents underscore the critical importance of NDT. Effective NDT practices can detect failures such as these before they happen, enhancing the safety and reliability of aircraft operations.

A space shuttle launching into space with Earth in the background, showing bright rocket flames and the vast expanse of the night sky filled with stars.

NDT Technicians Are In Demand Across Aerospace Sectors

Aerospace vehicles—including aircraft, spacecraft, rockets, and missiles—encounter tremendous forces during operation, so every step in a vehicle’s lifecycle must be carefully designed, monitored, and maintained to prevent catastrophic structural or systems failures.

NDT is an integral part of:

Aircraft manufacturing: Qualification and testing of raw materials, in-process inspection of individual components, and inspection of the finished product
Aircraft maintenance and repair: Rigorous and regular inspection of structures (e.g., wings, fuselage, landing gear) and systems (e.g., electronics, guidance systems, propulsion, and hydraulics)

NDT in Aircraft Manufacturing

Aircraft are constructed using high-performance materials, and components are precision-crafted to tight tolerances. Across all aerospace sectors, NDT technicians inspect materials before and during the manufacturing process. To ensure the integrity of structures and systems, aircraft and spacecraft manufacturers employ NDT at multiple stages:

Performing NDT on incoming aircraft manufacturing materials reduces the producers’ risk by locating discontinuities that would be potentially rejectable after the machining process.
NDT inspections during the manufacturing process help prevent costly rework, waste, and productivity losses.
Leveraging NDT for inspection of finished parts allows producers to detect discontinuities that could potentially cause a failure during the service life of the part—compromising the safety of the aircraft.

NDT Applications in Aircraft Manufacturing

NDT technicians in aerospace manufacturing ensure the integrity of raw materials such as metals and composites before they are used in manufacturing.

Electromagnetic testing (ET) and liquid penetrant testing (PT) are used to detect surface defects, cracks, and porosity. Ultrasonic testing (UT) and radiographic testing (RT) are used to detect internal defects such as voids, inclusions, and cracks that could compromise the material's integrity. And thermal/infrared testing (IR) is used to inspect materials destined for high-temperature applications.

NDT technicians must look for both surface and internal defects when inspecting fabricated components such as wings, fuselage sections, and engine parts. RT provides detailed images of internal structures to evaluate weld quality. UT detects internal flaws and delamination in composite materials. Magnetic particle testing (MT) detects surface and near-surface cracks in ferromagnetic materials. And ET inspects thin structures, detecting discontinuities and core damage in complex geometries and multilayered materials.

NDT in Aircraft Maintenance and Repair

Aircraft and spacecraft are built for extended service and grueling conditions—whether in airline and shipping operations or in orbit around the earth. Across aerospace sectors, NDT is embedded into operations at every step.

The digital drivers behind emerging inspection technologies and methods are transforming the speed, accuracy, and detail that NDT can provide. As a result, aviation organizations can continually improve service while experiencing only necessary and minimal downtime.

As the industry and its technologies evolve, rigorous application of NDT in aerospace maintenance is indispensable for:

Ensuring the safety of passengers, crew, and cargo
Reducing costs of operating aircraft
Continuous improvement of systems and processes

NDT Applications for Inspections of In-Service Aircraft

Regularly scheduled inspections help detect wear, corrosion, and fatigue cracks, ensuring that all critical components are free from defects that could lead to failure.

NDT technicians detect surface discontinuities using ET for aluminum parts such as aircraft skin, MT for metal parts such as landing gear, and PT for nonporous surfaces such as turbine blades. UT and RT enable technicians to detect internal flaws such as cracks and corrosion in components such as wings, fuselage, and internal components.

Evaluating the extent of damage after incidents such as bird strikes, lightning strikes, or hard landings is vital for determining the repairs needed to restore the aircraft to a safe operating condition.

As a first step, NDT technicians use VT, looking for visible signs of damage such as dents, cracks, and deformation. AE can help identify the location and severity of damage. UT can provide detailed images of internal structures and locate defects, aiding in repair strategies. And IR is useful for detecting delamination, disbonds, and other damage after lightning strikes.

NDT is essential for assessing the condition of aging aircraft to determine if they can continue to be safely operated and planning modifications or repairs that will extend their service life.

Newer digital technologies are especially useful, providing enhancements to proven NDT methods that speed and aid decision making. NDT technicians leverage digital technologies in RT, UT, and ET to create high-resolution, 3D images that enable comprehensive assessment of the condition of aging components and reveal corrosion, cracks, and defects both on the surface and in internal structures.

Build Your NDT Career in Aerospace with ASNT

Increasing dependence on the aerospace industry has energized demand for NDT in aviation, spacecraft, and defense. And all these aerospace sectors require rapid and exact inspection results to maintain safe and reliable operations.

NDT technicians in aerospace must be up to date with current NDT methods and in touch with the latest technologies and techniques.

ASNT keeps you informed at every step of your career journey.

Explore NDT career opportunities

NDT Methods: Technologies and Techniques That Support the Aerospace Industry

The many industry market segments of aerospace require the application of all of the NDT methods that are commonly in use. These NDT methods are integral to maintaining the safety and reliability of aircraft, ensuring that any defects are detected and addressed before they can lead to failure.

Ultrasonic Testing (UT)

Learn More About NDT Methods and Techniques

NDT Certification and Training with ASNT

Ready to launch a career in aerospace? Gain the practical certifications, training, and education you need to succeed with ASNT.

Nondestructive Testing in the Aerospace Industry

Ensuring Aerospace Safety and Reliability from Manufacture to End of Service

NDT Technicians Are In Demand Across Aerospace Sectors

NDT in Aircraft Manufacturing

NDT Applications in Aircraft Manufacturing

Material Selection and Validation

Component Fabrication

Assembly Processes

Engine Component Inspections

Propulsion Systems

NDT in Aircraft Maintenance and Repair

NDT Applications for Inspections of In-Service Aircraft

Routine Maintenance Inspections

Damage Assessment

Life Extension Programs

Build Your NDT Career in Aerospace with ASNT

Explore NDT career opportunities

NDT Methods: Technologies and Techniques That Support the Aerospace Industry

Visual Testing (VT)

Ultrasonic Testing (UT)

Electromagnetic Testing (ET)

Radiographic Testing (RT)

Magnetic Particle Testing (MT)

Liquid Penetrant Testing (PT)

Thermal/Infrared Testing (IR)

Acoustic Emission Testing (AE)

Laser Methods (LM)

NDT Certification and Training with ASNT

Explore NDT Certifications

Events for Professional Development

Training and Education