JEC Composites Magazine n°157 special Aerospace
Severely shaken by the health crisis, the aerospace sector has demonstrated resilience and a remarkable capacity to rebound. The global market is currently booming, driven by renewed demand in mature countries and very strong demand in some expanding regions. In 2024, the sector may be setting a historical record with more than 5 billion passengers expected by the end of the year – a number which has never been reached before.
Airbus is a perfect illustration of this boom, with a backlog secured for the next 10 years. Guillaume Faury, CEO of the group, specifies that the A320 is fully booked until 2030 and that the production rates are rising for wide-body aircraft, from 10 A350s produced per month to 12 by 2028. Facing its own success, Airbus is dealing with supply chain issues and must also support its suppliers to serve its customers.
Additionally, the aerospace sector is exploring new frontiers, evidenced by the resurgence of interest in supersonic flights, which were shelved after the Concorde and due to stricter regulations. According to several consulting firms, the average annual growth rate of this segment is expected to be in double digits until at least 2035, driven by projects from Boeing, Airbus and newcomers like Spike Aerospace and Boom Technology with its Overture project.
This race for innovation represents a great opportunity for the composites industry, which contributes to the quest for zero defects, a principle that has never been more aptly named. This zero-defect principle also aligns with the goal of zero emissions, the most challenging objective ever presented to these industries. Once again, this serves as a tremendous catalyst for innovation, particularly holistic innovation.
JEC Composites News
Daily updated, the web hub is the place to read the latest news of every sector of the composites industry. Hereunder a selection of news dedicated to Aerospace:
Guanglian Aviation to develop composite tooling for the C929 wide-body aircraft
China’s Guanglian Aviation Industry announced that the company and Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing signed a framework agreement to develop composite tooling for the C929 wide-body aircraft project. The amount of the two-year contract is RMB 105 million (€ 13.5 million).
In recent years, the company participated in important research and development projects in the field of Chinese aviation, carrying out scientific research projects and technical research around the needs of large passenger aircraft, large aircraft transportation, multi-purpose drones and advanced aeronautical technology equipment.
Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket lands at the California Science Center
Rocket Lab USA, a global leader in launch services and space systems, has donated one of its Electron rockets to the California Science Center’s Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center expansion project. Available for public view now, Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket will be showcased temporarily at the California Science Center’s Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center Work in Progress gallery, offering a preview of new artifacts and plans for the future Air and Space Center. Electron’s inclusion in the exhibit will mark the first time the public can view the historic rocket up close.
ArianeGroup announces that the Sprint antenna reflectors have passed the acceptance review
This validation represents an important milestone for the “Sprint antenna reflectors” programme. The ultra-lightweight Sprint reflectors are made from high-performance composites and feature a carbon/aramid sandwich shell with a carbon/aluminium sandwich backbone. With diameters ranging from 1.5 to 3 metres, the Sprint reflectors can be mounted on 2 to 6-tonne geostationary (GEO) telecommunications satellite platforms. These extremely versatile reflectors are compatible with C to Q/V band missions, and their shape can be tailored to the needs of the customers.
JEC Composites Web TV
JEC Composites Web TV is a platform where hundreds of videos have been spotted by JEC Group’s experts to present materials, processes, applications, business cases… All the content reflects the innovative and customisable solutions from the composites industry. On JEC Composites Web TV, you can also find pedagogic videos to better understand the composites benefits, and discover JEC Group events, programs, webinars and podcasts. Hereunder a selection of videos dedicated to Aerospace:
Exoskeleton wing design – how carbon fibre makes it possible
The wing of the DarkAero 1 is strong enough to support thousands of pounds of lift load while remaining exceptionally light.
UAVOS composite manufacturing facility
UAVOS has launched a new composite manufacturing facility to produce composite parts for structural unmanned aircraft sub-assemblies. The facility is able to produce composite structural components and assemblies.
How to build a carbon fibre plane？Process of VTOL fixed-wing drone construction
Yangda manufactures drone gimbal cameras, industry-grade multirotors, and fixed-wing VTOL drones for mapping, SAR, and surveillance applications.
