Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

Managing Editor

Charles Alcock

If they are not already, composite materials and manufacturing processes are set to take center stage in the aerospace sector, according to industry media and events group JEC. The nonprofit group, which promotes the sustainable use of composites across industries, has published the first of a three-part series of white papers outlining the rapidly evolving impact of composite materials in aerostructures, engines, and aircraft interiors.
The long-anticipated moves by Airbus and Boeing to introduce next-generation single-aisle airliners are expected to significantly increase the volume of composite materials use in aerospace. “It will be another shift upward, and potentially as much of a step-change as [composite adoption in] the 787,” explained Collin Heller, vice president of Counterpoint Market Intelligence, which has partnered with Paris-based JEC to author the series of white papers.&nbsp;
According to Heller, the 787 and rival A350 programs marked a step change in the use of composites, in which the materials conclusively crossed the boundary between secondary and primary aircraft structures. “But composite materials aren’t just limited to structures; they are used right across the entire aircraft, throughout the interior and in some parts of the engines,” he told AIN. “It’s been a long process.”
The use of composites in the 787 and A350 programs marked a step change in production rates, according to Jeff Sloan, JEC’s global content advisor and editor. “If the industry had tried using composites to that extent for single-aisle aircraft [20 years ago] in the 2000s, it would have been a significant challenge due to the [high] build rates of single-aisles, but for the widebodies, it was manageable,” he explained.
<h2>Process and Material Changes</h2>
However, the continued ascent of composites in the aerospace food chain is by no means without challenges around increased competence and qualification among suppliers. According to JEC’s experts, increased and more varied use of composites requires a step change in both the materials available and the processes used to apply them to aircraft structures and components.
“The trades the industry makes between using different materials are never straightforward,” Heller commented. “Changes impact all aspects of design with complex considerations around weight, strength, and stiffness [of materials]. It is not just a weight-saving game. It is more about the optimization of the whole aircraft system, and so not necessarily translating into lower fuel burn based on weight, but allowing designers to go for longer, thinner structures to improve aerodynamics.”
Investment in composite technologies for aerospace has increased significantly over the past five years as players such as GKN, Toray, and Aciturri have aimed to boost their competence and workshares. But with uncertainty lingering over when and how next-generation narrowbodies may come to market, suppliers are unsure how far to push their investments.
“Buying lots of new autoclaves is not something anyone wants to do without an assured return on investment,” Sloan commented. “And ideally Boeing and Airbus would like to depend on the autoclave less for a next-generation aircraft program. Doing so, however, requires investment in out-of-autoclave processes that require significant expertise to deploy.”
So while there could yet be more new market entrants among aerospace composite specialists, the barriers to entry can be quite high. Both Boeing and Airbus have shown a willingness to invest in these areas, for example, through the acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, the creation of Airbus Atlantic, and the absorption of Premium Aerotec into the Airbus business.
There are also plenty of questions around optimum materials, with Heller taking the view that “there is no one silver bullet” for future airframe needs. “[The process] starts with fibers and chemicals, and then how to weave fibers and when and how to add resins,” he explained, adding that much of the change may come more in terms of processes, such as taking work out of autoclaves, rather than investing in completely new fibers and resins.
JEC’s <a href="https://www.jeccomposites.com/discover-composites/jec-whitepapers/">white paper</a> provides a helpful summary of the shifting role of composite materials in modern aircraft. It offers accessible explanations of the industry’s approach to expanding the technology’s use and where it may still progress.&nbsp;
Each year, the group stages JEC World as a showcase for composite technology applications across multiple industries. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jeccomposites.com/jec-events/">2027 event</a> will be held from March 2-4 in Villepinte near Paris.

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