Aluminum giant Alcoa (H5 F220) is here exhibiting a fuselage section manufactured with advanced aluminum-lithium alloy sheet that was stretch-formed on existing tooling by Spirit Aerosystems’ factory in Wichita, Kansas. U.S.-based Alcoa is targeting the next generation of single-aisle aircraft (with a clear focus on Boeing’s expected decision this year) as the potential first applications. It is touting the merits of new-technology metals against composites–lower weight, better fuel efficiency, reduced cost and less risks in production–promised for aircraft entering into service before 2020.
“We learned the hard way that we did not innovate enough,” Kevin Lowery, communications director for Alcoa’s global rolled products, told AIN. He was referring to the decisions by Boeing and then Airbus to dramatically increase the proportion of composite materials on their new widebody programs–respectively, the 787 and the A350 XWB. After this wake-up call, research and development in aluminum has accelerated over the past decade, notably at Alcoa’s research center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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