The evolutionary path of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) to viable candidate materials for current engineering designs of today and tomorrow has been littered with appropriate and inappropriate theoretical models, useful and useless test methods, and hopeful and hopeless materials systems. As continuous fiber ceramic composite (CFCC) material systems have been introduced, theoretical models and practical test methods have been proposed (and adopted) to characterize their behavior. Often these materials are targeted for specific applications intended to exploit the bulk CFCC as well as its constituent properties.

The unique position and expertise of the author's employer, a private research laboratory, have enabled an up-close and detailed perspective on not only CFCCs and their characterization but also the targeted engineering applications. In this paper, a case study will be discussed regarding characterization of a CFCC for a particular application; a high temperature combustor liner in a gas turbine engine. The potential for standardized methods will be reviewed.