Manufacturing & Supply Chain

With air cargo demand on the rise and capacity scarce, new freighters are in the spotlight.

Indonesian airframer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) plans to improve its aircraft assembly capabilities and is in “constant discussion” with Airbus on building C295 turboprops for export from Indonesia.

Morphing drone; Hyperlocal weather; Inflight damage monitoring; Hydrogen hubs; and Sustainable fuel from plastic waste.

Hydrogen-powered aviation is started with smaller regional aircraft, but how far can it go in decarbonizing commercial aviation?

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

Airbus says it will continue to maintain a “strong position” in defense despite apparent pressures from European investors over the company’s environmental, social and governance credentials.

Airbus says discussions with interested clients have intensified.

The Israeli manufacturer is adapting to a future split-ownership structure.

In recent months, high-profile launches from Airbus (the A350F) and Boeing (the 777-8F) demonstrate that manufacturers have seized on the market’s appetite for new freighters, while conversions are in demand too.

Lockheed outlines Its production plans, while Boeing keeps quiet, and a new underdog emerges.

A challenge is that skill sets have left the industry.

Every production ramp-up has chokepoints, but determining where they will be is not so obvious.

Warns of Chinese “undersupply.”

ST is looking for the “next big thing.”

BGS announced a new airline operations suite and a company parts record.

The awards, combined with prior rounds of funding announced in September and November 2021, bring the total to $673 million to protect jobs at 593 U.S. companies,

Boeing will have to pay a big price if it wants to bring the duopoly back to parity—and suppliers should be worried if it doesn’t.

The European OEM’s backlog is 50% greater than Boeing’s, and its delivery rate is likely to be 50% bigger for at least five years, too.

Among the many challenges facing A&D companies, add this to the list: tidal waves of sick workers.

Vertical Aerospace has selected Leonardo’s aerostructures division to design, test and manufacture the carbon-composite fuselage for its planned VX4 air taxi.

AERTEC has been selected as an Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering and Services Strategic Supplier (EMES3) to provide design, manufacturing engineering and digital engineering services to all Airbus entities.

Rolls-Royce is continuing to produce Trent 1000 and Trent XWB fan blades in Singapore at maximum volume, despite depressed demand for widebody aircraft in recent years as a result of the pandemic.

Preexisting staffing issues are coming back quickly during a recovery that is faster than anticipated.

Suppliers will sit between a rock and hard place, as list prices fall and manufacturing costs rise.

As commercial aircraft demand recovers and production is starting to ramp up accordingly, suppliers are beginning to face hiring, raw material and logistics issues.