Manufacturing & Supply Chain

Airbus no longer expects to reach its target of producing 75 A320neo family aircraft per month in 2026 and has cut back its delivery guidance for 2024.

To produce three or four commercial aircraft per day, Airbus receives 2.2 million parts.

GE’s small hybrid core; on-site hydrogen on demand; 3D-printing magnesium; and very-low-orbit space tracker.

The survey polled around 40 major aerospace and defense suppliers, who together generate $14 billion of industry revenue.

The airframer hopes the narrowbody A321XLR will make new long-haul routes economically viable.

A handful of leaders stands out for their adept use of mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and spinoffs in shaping the industry.

Spacehab’s innovation and perseverance helped the company succeed against all odds and serve as a pathfinder for commercial space companies that have followed.

With a famous name in aviation and following industry giants, Benoit de Saint-Exupery must sell more aircraft as production slots grow scarce.

GE Aerospace expects to ship the first production standard GE9X to Boeing for installation on a customer-bound Boeing 777-9 later this month.

GE Aerospace is to test new hybrid-electric core tech in a Passport 20 as part of development efforts toward an open-fan, future single-aisle propulsion system.

An inspection system used to detect art forgeries is set for deployment to MRO shops via GE Aerospace’s soon-to-open Services Technology Acceleration Center.

The advancement is relevant to both light aviation and the commercial air transport industry.

As Airbus has increasingly globalized the production of its A320-family narrowbodies, the matter of which FAL builds what variant has come into focus.

Energy-storing structure; load-optimized cabin walls; Europe’s flying ship project; and solar fuels take a step forward.

A flex shaft for the A350’s high lift system has become the most complex 3D-printed metal part to be approved for series production by Airbus and EASA.

The private-equity owners of Belcan, an engineering services provider to several marquee aerospace and defense companies, have sold the company to Cognizant.

Boeing developed the plan in response to an FAA 737 production audit and an expert panel’s report on Boeing’s organizational safety.

The moves by the airframer and the engine manufacturer illustrate their all-out effort to make their supply chain more resilient and reliable.

Although shareholders have put more money into advanced air mobility, getting government loans could still be crucial, and avoiding program delays will be key.

While the risks to the global economy and aviation are obvious, growth is good, and many new aircraft orders are imminent.

Sustainable aviation fuel cuts contrails; MTU progresses fuel cells; medical evacuation drone; and vertical-takeoff-and-landing cargo drone in the UAE.

Although frustrating supply chain challenges continue, United's CEO says those obstacles pale in comparison to major turmoil the industry has faced in the past.

A shortage of spare parts for foreign-made passenger aircraft is forcing Russian carriers to seek alternatives inside the country.

Rome has given the greenlight to Safran's takeover of Microtecnica from RTX after concerns over the supply of components to defense programs were addressed.

Meanwhile, the Spirit board has tapped one of its own, Irene Esteves, to take over while the company tries to sell itself to Airbus and/or Boeing.