Composites Use in Aerospace

The advantages of building aircraft structures with composites, compared to metal, include light weight, high specific strength, superior fatigue properties, damage tolerance and the absence of corrosion.

Carbon fiber/flax landing gear achieves 54% weight reduction via tailored layup optimization
Materials Testing

Carbon fiber/flax landing gear achieves 54% weight reduction via tailored layup optimization

Fuko’s Biogear showcases how strategic composite material distribution and natural fiber damping properties can lightweight and enhance critical aerospace structure performance.

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PRO-SET Laminating Epoxies

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Composites 4.0

Siemens software chosen for JetZero BWB aircraft concept, launches Xcelerator updates

Aviation startup will use the Xcelerator platform to achieve its aircraft vision. Other Siemens collaborations deliver software additions to deliver, democratize industrial AI for small companies, startups.

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Composites 4.0

Leonardo unveils Proteus uncrewed rotorcraft demonstrator design

In the development of this fast-moving program, Leonardo is using a digital twin for synthetic development, more than 40 composite components and the use of AI in its control software.

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Aerospace

GKN opens $55 million aeroengine repair facility in North America

Enhanced support is now available for next-gen engine components and legacy systems, including GE LEAP and Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan models.

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Collier Aerospace HyperX optimizes X-59 composite nose cone

Swift Engineering relied on the CAE software’s structural sizing, analysis and test validation capabilities to deliver flight hardware for NASA’s supersonic QueSST aircraft early, under budget and with 25% weight savings.

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Aerospace

Virgin Galactic, ENAC to conduct spaceport feasibility study

Agreement with Italy’s civil aviation authority to determine the conditions for suborbital operations from the Grottaglie Spaceport, inspired by Virgin’s model in the U.S. with the composites-intensive VSS Unity.

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Composites 4.0

Schrödinger advances materials informatics for faster development of next-gen composites

Cutting time to market by multiple orders of magnitude, machine learning and physics-based approaches are combined to open new possibilities for innovations in biomaterials, fire-resistant composites, space applications, hydrogen tanks and more.

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Knowledge Centers

CompositesWorld Collections
CompositesWorld Collections

CW’s editors are tracking the latest trends and developments in tooling, from the basics to new developments. This collection, presented by Composites One, features four recent CW stories that detail a range of tooling technologies, processes and materials.

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Sustainability
Sustainability

The composites industry is increasingly recognizing the imperative of sustainability in its operations. As demand for lightweight and durable materials rises across various sectors, such as automotive, aerospace, and construction, there is a growing awareness of the environmental impact associated with traditional composite manufacturing processes.

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Park Aerospace Corp.
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Collier Aerospace's HyperX Users Conference 2025
High-Density Urethane (HDU) boards

Latest Aerospace News And Updates

Aerospace

NASA launches sustainable aircraft project CAS SUMAC

Two-year initiative aims to unlock innovative applications for sustainable thermoplastic composites and their use in AAM and commercial aircraft.

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Aerospace

EASA holds international workshop in 2024 on certifying H2-powered aircraft

The EASA, which has been engaging in hydrogen platforms through various contracts and projects, hosted its first workshop presenting the challenges, future processes of H2 certification.

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Aerospace

Daher inaugurates Learning Center for training aeronautical talent

Daher offers a concrete solution to the shortage of qualified professionals in aerospace, providing a range of technical programs that prepare workers for the sector’s rigorous demands.

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Aerospace

Skydweller Aero continues AMPA flight tests with operational military payloads

Autonomous maritime patrol aircraft (AMPA) testing prepares the composite platform for operations in 2025, ensuring it can operate effectively over land and offshore environments to serve government and commercial needs.

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Space

Airborne to supply Airbus with composite components for mega-constellation satellite solar arrays

Airborne Aerospace will manufacture more than 700 composite substrate panels and yoke substrates for Airbus Sparkwing solar arrays, a critical component of MDA Space’s Aurora satellite product line.

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Aerospace

EcoPulse flight test campaign ends, provides insight into hybrid-electric propulsion aircraft

Accumulation of 100 flight hours and 50 test flights deliver findings into design, certification, production and operations that will lay the groundwork for future aircraft. 

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Compsoite and Metallic tooling, parts, assemblies
Webinar UV Powder Coatings for Composite & AM
Alpha’s Premier ESR®
release agents, purging compounds, process chemical specialties
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Featured Posts

Braided thermoplastic composite H2 tanks with co-consolidated molded boss areas to fit EV battery space

BRYSON project demonstrates possible designs, automated manufacturing and low permeability concepts, including EVOH liner and novel PPA matrix.

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Space

Composites business growth through diversification, innovation

San Diego-based 2024 Top Shops qualifier Rock West Composites gives an overview of its relentless commitment to improvement, including its composite capabilities and its role as a trusted player in the space market.

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Aerospace

Natilus challenges the Boeing-Airbus duopoly

CW interviews CEO Aleksey Matyushev about composites, certification and the airlines’ needs for increased narrowbody production and decarbonization that aren’t being met.

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CAMX

VIDEO: High-rate composites production for aerospace

Westlake Epoxy’s process on display at CAMX 2024 reduces cycle time from hours to just 15 minutes.

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Sensors

Streamlining aerospace composites operations with RFID tracking

Tier 1 Sekisui Aerospace’s implementation of RFID tracking, sensors and Xemelgo software at two of its production facilities led to increased productivity, eliminating bottlenecks and reducing labor costs.

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Carbon Fibers

Low-cost, efficient CFRP anisogrid lattice structures

CIRA uses patented parallel winding, dry fiber, silicone tooling and resin infusion to cut labor for lightweight, heavily loaded space applications.

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HEATCON Composite Systems
Composites One - distributor
Large Scale Additive Manufacturing
Airtech International Inc.

FAQ: Aerospace

How are composites used in aerospace structures?

Since the 1950s*, composites have been growing in use in commercial and defense aircraft, ranging from struts and tail components, to wing skins and fuselages, to engine components and propeller blades.

One of the largest challenges to adoption of composites by the aerospace industry is stringent standards especially for safety critical structures, necessitating time- and labor-intensive processes to qualify new materials for use on passenger aircraft.

Qualified and well-tested autoclave-cured carbon fiber and thermoset-based prepregs are most often used for many structures, though other materials and formats, including thermoplastic tapes, are also in development or use.

Source: The FAA: Keeping up with aerocomposites evolution

*In the 1950s, Boeing began using fiberglass in its 707 passenger jets, and at the time the material made up about 2% of the overall aircraft by weight. Since then, Boeing, Airbus and other aircraft manufacturers have continued to increase this percentage with successive aircraft models. Today’s twin-aisle commercial aircraft such as the Boeing 787, first launched in 2009, and the Airbus A350 comprise approximately 50% composites by weight, largely carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP).

How are composites used in space structures?

At the time the Apollo capsule, which landed on the moon in 1969, was built by NASA, composites industry was still in its infancy and the materials were not yet in widespread use, though the Apollo capsule used early composite technology in the form of an ablative heat shield made from Avcoat, an epoxy novolac resin with silica fibers in a fiberglass-phenolic honeycomb matrix. A fiberglass honeycomb was bonded to the primary structure and the paste-like material was injected into each cell individually.

Since Apollo, advanced composites have evolved by leaps and bounds, and have played a significant role in space programs with use in launch vehicles, the space shuttle, satellites, space telescopes and the International Space Station.

Source: Composites in the race to space

Real Time Resin Degassing Measurement
American Elements
American Elements