Airframes are thin - walled shell structures that leads to polymodality and fast attenuation of AE signal. Acoustic signal dispersion, transformation of one oscillation mode into another and re-reflection are typical for such structures. Besides, numerous rivets, welds, stiffeners cause an additional acoustic noise during testing.

A technique for localization of the acoustic emission sources during strength testing of aircraft materials (1163 AT and V95ATI) and components (SU - 25 landing gear, horizontal tail panel of a large transport aircraft) using the developed fast - response diagnostic complex is presented. Methods of stable localization achievement in the thin - walled shell structures are analysed.

A new approach to rejection of false events is proposed for solution of the growing crack localization problem.