Wing of Tomorrow ribs: One-shot, thermoplastic, OOA consolidation
GKN Aerospace’s carbon fiber thermoplastic aircraft rib design accomplishes 45-minute cycle times, reduced weight and competitive costs via a customized press system.
Hannah Mason
Associate Editor, CompositesWorld
SE Aeronautics deploys composite one-piece fuselage, thin-wing airliner concept
Disruptive design said to offer a stronger, more streamlined aircraft that doubles lifespan and lowers fuel consumption by 70%.
Volocopter raises €200 million in Series D funding round for Volocity eVTOL aircraft
€322 million in cumulative funding has been raised to accelerate the certification of the Volocity aircraft and launch of its first commercial routes.
GKN Aerospace to begin full-rate composite V-tail production for GA-ASI aircraft
New contract with GA-ASI to support RAF Protector/MQ-9B aircraft production at GKN’s Cowes, U.K., builds on 10-year company relationship.
GKN Aerospace Future Flight Challenge to accelerate sustainable aerospace technologies
Four-year, £125 million ISCF program covers Skybus, Safe Flight and NAPKIN projects, with a focus on electrification, unmanned commercial flight and more sustainable regional aerospace solutions.
Solvay, Leonardo launch joint research lab for thermoplastic composites
The Solvay Leonardo Joint Research Lab aims to facilitate the broader adoption of thermoplastic composites by the aerospace industry.
Boeing said to be evaluating new twin-aisle program
Aviation Week reports that Boeing is in the early stages of developing a twin-aisle in response to the Airbus A321XLR that will use composite wing and fuselage structures.
IIAMS wing box road map to certification
Airbus DS uses Clean Sky demonstrators as part of broad strategy to ready next-gen aircraft technology for flight.
Ginger Gardiner
Senior Editor, CompositesWorld
Composites and 3D printing could boost Europe's SAT manufacturing capabilities for the 2030s
Clean Sky 2 SAT-AM project targets 4-hour, door-to-door mobility and reduced manufacturing, maintenance costs for 4-19 passenger, Small Air Transport.
Archer and Fiat Chrysler pursue high-volume, composite eVTOL production
Citing low-cost supply chain and advanced composite material capabilities, FCA will help Archer create its first all-electric airline.
LMS to develop composite fuel gauge for Stratolaunch hypersonic test vehicle
Carbon fiber composite fuel probe and signal conditioner unit will meet Mach 6 aircraft speed and intense flight environment requirements.
Agility Prime completes Joby eVTOL airworthiness evaluation report
The U.S. Air Force’s initiative to accelerate the vertical aircraft market lays the groundwork for the use of Joby’s eVTOL equipment for military missions.
Digital design concepts shape next-generation combat aviation
Design processes that typically take months have been completed in days using BAE Systems' digital twin concept when developing the next-generation Tempest aircraft.
Veelo Technologies enhances composite solid rocket motors for tactical missiles systems
Veelo will incorporate its VeeloVEIL and VeeloSTRIKE composite protection materials to help the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division achieve their weight and performance objectives.
Bye Aerospace begins production for eFlyer-2 all-composite fuselage
Composites Universal Group has been contracted to create the carbon fiber fuselage, advancing the all-electric eFlyer-2 toward FAA certification.
Grace Nehls
Assistant Editor, CompositesWorld
FACC begins EHang 216 flight tests
The successful autonomous aerial vehicle flight test earns an experimental flight permit offered by Austrian aviation authorities for future flight test execution.
Toray, Joby Aviation finalize long-term carbon fiber supply agreement
Toray carbon fiber materials will be used throughout the eVTOL aircraft structure, propulsion systems and interior components, with hopes to bring it to commercial operation as early as 2023.
Electra.Aero, Aerion develop global mobility solutions with Aerion ConnectTM
The collaboration aims to advance development of urban and regional transportation networks for faster end-to-end journey delivered in a seamless luxury experience.
Honeywell brings UAM fuel cell expertise in-house
After setting up a business dedicated to urban air mobility, and opening a dedicated R&D lab, Honeywell has now acquired the assets of fuel cell manufacturer Ballard Unmanned Systems.
AFP tow steering comes of age, Part 1: Current state
It used to be enough that AFP systems could precisely and quickly place and cut multiple tows to build complex aerostructures. Now, fabricators need those tows steered, and the tighter the radius, the better.
Boom brings Collins Aerospace onboard for supersonic nacelles
The collaboration focuses on enhancing performance and sustainability via developed inlet, nacelle and exhaust system technologies for supersonic flight.
The markets: Aerospace (2021)
The coronavirus pandemic, a once-in-a-millennia global catastrophe, has depressed commercial air travel in unprecedented and disastrous ways. Implications start with the airlines themselves and trickle down to major airframers and the entire tier structure of the aerospace supply chain.
Jeff Sloan
Editor-in-Chief, CompositesWorld
NASA, Wisk partnership accelerates UAM capabilities
The partnership will initially address critical National Campaign safety scenarios, and create a framework for autonomous passenger flight on a national level.
Unmanned Loyal Wingman aircraft performs low-speed taxi test
Reaching maximum speeds of 16 mph on the ground, the low-speed taxi determined the Loyal Wingman’s runaway independence for its maiden flight later this year.
Moving forward on the Multifunctional Fuselage Demonstrator (MFFD)
Clean Sky 2’s MFFD program continues to move toward its goal of delivering a welded, thermoplastic composite fuselage demonstrator using next-generation manufacturing processes.
Episode 34: Carmelo Lo Faro, Solvay Composite Materials
Carmelo Lo Faro, president of Solvay Composite Materials, talks about how he sees aerocomposites evolving in the time of COVID-19, the rise of computational power to evolve composites use, the prospects for increased composites use in the automotive market, and the increasing importance of education in the composites industry.
Carbon fiber in pressure vessels for hydrogen
The emerging H2 economy drives tank development for aircraft, ships and gas transport.
Victrex, Daher, attain next-gen thermoplastic aircraft panel milestone
The developed panel is a 176-ply laminate, 32-millimeter-thick composite structure and uses Victrex AE 250 PAEK-based thermoplastic composites.
