Patent ID: 7271741

Claim:
A method for detecting an overstepping of design loads of a fin of an aircraft, said method comprising: A/ in a preliminary step, determining a first safety envelope representing a chart formed in a plane on the basis of pairs of values of bending moment and of twisting moment of the fin and defined so that, for any pair of such values which lies outside said first safety envelope and which is applied to the aircraft, there exists a risk of appearance of permanent deformations on the fin; B/ in the course of a flight of the aircraft, carrying out the following steps repetitively and automatically: a) estimating the current bending moment; b) estimating the current twisting moment; c) carrying out a first comparison by comparing the pair formed by said current bending moment and said current twisting moment with said first safety envelope; and d) determining whether a structural inspection of said fin has to be performed, at least on the basis of the result of said first comparison.