Manufacturing & Supply Chain

SAF production cost and supply availability will fail to meet aviation needs, a Bain study finds.

Aluminum suppliers complain they too often see valuable material being treated in a way that prevents it from being recycled.

As impetus strengthens for hydrogen technologies, conversation broadens to supply chain.

The facility at the Sinopec Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co. near Ningpo, Zhejiang Province, is designed to manufacture 100,000 metric tons of unblended biofuel annually, and the state-owned company says its refinery will pave the way toward large-scale production.

No fast lane is in sight for the introduction of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in significant quantities, as producers still have to cope with complex processes and high costs, French oil giant TotalEnergies says.

Yet many of those companies are small- and medium-size businesses and finding the time and money is a serious hurdle for them, industry observers warn.

In an effort to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions imposed in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, the Russian government has outlined a plan to reconfigure the country’s commercial aircraft fleet in favor of domestically produced airliners by 2030.

The metal is key to aircraft construction, and Russian suppliers accounted for 30-50% of Europe’s needs before the war in Ukraine.

Boeing may still be at least two years away from launching its next all-new commercial airliner, but the manufacturer is on the hunt for thousands of new engineers and machinists.

They may not be able to get ahead of macroeconomic challenges, but larger suppliers are handling them relatively well.

Engines and cabin interiors top the list of missing components, while airlines and airports struggle to keep up normal operations.

The OEM produced the T-7A in only three years, but challenges remain before the process can green-light its next all-new airliner.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

MTU Aero Engines says it has identified a Flying Fuel Cell (FFC) and Water Enhanced Turbofan (WET) as “favored” concepts for revolutionary reductions in emissions from aircraft propulsion systems.

As Europe’s Clean Sky 2 research and technology project is nearing the end, Airbus and industry partners are expected to complete the construction of their multifunction fuselage demonstrator, aiming at lower cost and weight and fast-paced manufacturing.

Rolls-Royce is officially announcing the development of turbogenerator technology, which includes a new small engine designed for hybrid-electric applications.

Airbus is struggling with implementing big production increases, as is Boeing, which also faces uncertainty over 737 certifications.

Dave Gitlin, the former head of erstwhile UTC Aerospace Systems and now chairman and CEO of air-conditioning giant Carrier, is joining the Boeing board of directors.

Aviation executives departed into a parallel universe for a few days in June.

The inferiority of batteries as energy sources compared with aviation fuel is widely accepted. Yet electric aviation startups continue to push the envelope of what battery-powered aircraft can achieve.

With commencement of flight tests, Airbus is moving closer to new territory: true long-haul narrowbody services.

Emirates has been among the airlines suffering the most from Boeing’s aircraft delivery delays.

From sustainable materials to improved wheelchair access, cabins must be a part of aviation’s reassessment.

The FAA’s amended type certification process is successful, but agency needs more flexibility to put less focus on cost justifications.

Modeling and 3D-printing advances combine to enable development of high-temperature alloy with lower cost and greater performance.