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.

Process and Material Changes

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 white paper 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. 

Each year, the group stages JEC World as a showcase for composite technology applications across multiple industries. The 2027 event will be held from March 2-4 in Villepinte near Paris.