Abstract: There have been more than 10 years since composite structures were placed rnto service. Because of the peculiar characteristics of composite mate-iials, the applicability of the available specifications, handbooks and data sheets which are suitable to metallic aircraft structures, to composite aircraft structures must be reasserssed, In the present paper the research survey of damage tolerance behaviour of composite aircraft structures in Europe and the United States is presented. This survey consists of five parts. They are he complementary interpretations of the relavent specifications, the sorts tof defects and their verification criterion, damage tolarence certification procedure of aircraft structures, analysis approaches and design methods.