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The purpose of this study is to design a radio altimeter antenna whose production process is facilitated and can work with multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) properties to provide space gain on the aircraft.

To create an easy-to-produce MIMO, a two-storied structure consisting of a reflector and a top antenna was designed. The dimensions of the reflector were prevented to get smaller to supply easy production. The unit cell nearly with the same dimensions of a lower frequency was protected through the original cell design. The co-planar structure with the use of a via connection was modified and a structure was achieved with no need to via for easy production, too. Finally, the antennas were placed side by side and the distance between them was optimized to achieve a MIMO operation.

As a result, an easy-to-produce, compact and successful radio altimeter antenna was obtained with high antenna parameters such as 10.14 dBi gain and 10.55 dBi directivity, and the conical pattern along with proper MIMO features, through original reflector surface and top antenna system.

Since radio altimeter antennas require high radiation properties, the microstrip antenna structure is generally used in literature. This paper contributes by presenting the radio altimeter application with antenna-reflective structure participation. The technical solutions were developed during the design, focusing on an easy manufacturing process for both the reflective surface and the upper antenna. Also, the combination of International Telecommunication Union’s recommended features that require high antenna properties was achieved, which is challenging to reach. In addition, by operating the antenna as a successful MIMO, two goals of easy production and space gain on aircraft have been attained at the same time.

The aim of this study is to determine the fracture behavior of wool felt and fabric based epoxy composites and their responses to electromagnetic waves.

Notched and unnotched tensile tests of composites made of wool only and hybridized with a glass fiber layer were carried out, and fracture behavior and toughness at macro scale were determined. They were exposed to electromagnetic waves between 8 and 18 GHz frequencies using two horn antennas.

The keratin and lignin layer on the surface of the wool felt caused lower values to be obtained compared to the mechanical values given by pure epoxy. However, the use of wool felt in the symmetry layer of the laminated composite material provided higher mechanical values than the composite with glass fiber in the symmetry layer due to the mechanical interlocking it created. The use of wool in fabric form resulted in an increase in the modulus of elasticity, but no change in fracture toughness was observed. As a result of the electromagnetic analysis, it was also seen in the electromagnetic analysis that the transmittance of the materials was high, and the reflectance was low throughout the applied frequency range. Hence, it was concluded that all of the manufactured materials could be used as radome material over a wide band.

Sheep wool is an easy-to-supply and low-cost material. In this paper, it is presented that sheep wool can be evaluated as a biocomposite material and used for radome applications.

The combined evaluation of felt and fabric forms of a natural and inexpensive reinforcing element such as sheep wool and the combined evaluation of fracture mechanics and electromagnetic absorption properties will contribute to the evaluation of biocomposites in aviation.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate cotton fabric behavior that is exposed to radar waves between selected operation frequencies as an alternative radar-absorbing material (RAM) response. Cotton fabric biocomposite materials were compared with carbon fabric composite materials, which are good absorbers, in terms of mechanical and electromagnetic (EM) properties for that purpose.

The laminated composite plates were manufactured by using a vacuum infusion process. The EM tests were experimentally performed with a vector network analyzer to measure reflection, transmission and absorption ability of cotton fabric, carbon fabric and cotton–carbon fabric (side by side) composite plates between 3 and 18 GHz. The tensile and low-velocity impact tests were carried out to compare the mechanical properties of cotton fabric and carbon fabric composite plates. A scanning electron microscope was used for viewing the topographical features of fracture surfaces.

The cotton fabric composite plate exhibits low mechanical values, but it gives higher EM wave absorption values than the carbon fabric composite plate in certain frequency ranges. Comparing the EM absorption properties of the combination of cotton and carbon composites with those of the carbon composite alone, it appears that the cotton–carbon combination can be considered as a better absorber than the carbon composite in a frequency range from 12 to 18 GHz at Ku band.

This paper shows how cotton, which is a natural and easily supplied low-cost raw material, can be evaluated as a RAM.