Genius scientist. Perhaps that is the right word given to Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie. A man born in Pare-Pare, June 25, 1936 who always wanted to innovate and contribute. Many of his works are already worldwide, ranging from the discovery of crack progression theory, to his success in a career as a true aerospace scientist. Various football terjangnya in the aerospace world is no doubt. Habibie might be called a multidimensional figure. How not only a year he studied at ITB Bandung, then 10 years of college to a doctorate degree in aircraft construction in Germany with the title Summa Cum laude. Then worked in the leading aircraft industry MBB Gmbh Germany, before meeting President Soeharto's call to return to Indonesia.
One of the achievements that the aviation world remembers is the theory of crack progression or better known as the Habibie Factor. Please note, before the crack point can be detected early through the Habibie Factor, in the era of the 1960s the aircraft industry troubled by the ignorance of how reliable the aircraft body to operate. The result can be fatal, aircraft disasters often occur due to undetected construction damage. Fatigue (fatique) on the body is still difficult to detect with the limitations of tools and facilities available. This fatigue-prone point is usually on the connection between the wing and the fuselage or between the wing and the engine holder. It is these elements that suffer hard and continuous shocks, both when the body takes off or lands. If the point continues to propagate, prolonged and undetectable then it is certain that the risk of broken wings and even aircraft falls can not be avoided. Initially the engineers anticipate the possibility of a crack construction by raising the safety factor (SF). The trick, increasing the strength of construction materials far above the number of theoretical needs. As a result, the required material is heavier. For aircraft, aluminum material is combined with steel. But once the crack point can be calculated then the SF degree can be lowered. For example by choosing a mixture of wing material and lighter airframe. The portion of steel is reduced, the aluminum becomes more dominant in the aircraft body.
This theory certainly makes the aircraft safer, because the operating empty weight of aircraft decreased by 10% and could reach 25% after Habibie composite material into the body of the plane. However, this weight reduction does not make the maximum take off weight come down. That way, in general the aircraft carrying capacity increases and cruising range even further. So economically, plane performance can be improved. In addition Habibie Factor also plays a role in the development of technology merging parts per section framework of the plane.
Thanks to his invention, it is no wonder that BJ Habibie received various awards appreciated by the world, one of the most classy is Theodhore van Karman Award, awarded by the International Council for Aeronautical Sciences at the annual meeting and 18th ICAs congress held in Beijing, China in 1992 from the Chinese Government. In addition, BJ Habibie is also listed in calculating and designing several aircraft-making projects such as the DO-31 Aircraft Transport VTOL (Vertical Take Off & Landing), TRANSALL C-130 Military Aircraft, Hansa Jet 320 (Aircraft Executive), Airbus A- 300 (for 300 passengers), CN-235, N-250 and indirectly participated in calculating and designing BO-105, Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) Helicopters as well as missile and satellite projects.