Composites Make Aerospace Innovation Possible, Creating Opportunities in Maintenace Repair Overhaul (MRO) Sector

Composites have allowed the aerospace industry to innovate significantly, leading to aircrafts that can fly farther, faster and with more fuel efficiency than ever before. Composites are making up a greater percentage of total aircraft material — up to 50 percent in some cases — illustrating how valuable they have become to commercial aviation, defense and other aerospace divisions. The implications for the MRO sector are lower costs and faster repair times. Carbon fiber, epoxy resin and other composite materials have been an increasingly popular mainstay in aerospace, and airlines are seeing tremendous benefits.

Composite aircraft can stay in the air for longer

Qantas Airways recently debuted one of the longest commercial international flights, a 17-hour non-stop trip between Perth, Australia and London. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner making the first-ever direct flight between Europe and Australia features fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) composite fan blades and a composite case for the engine, along with a body made of roughly 50 percent composite materials. Due to the lightweight nature of the carbon fiber being used, the flight consumes up to 20 percent less fuel than other planes its size.

GE Aviation produced composite engines for the Boeing 777x, taking advantage of the materials’ aerodynamic, thermal characteristics, mechanical integrity and performance. The plane’s wing edge and empennage parts are also created from composites.

This composite material is also easier to service, meaning the aircraft can spend more time in flight and less time grounded. Prepregs made of carbon fiber reinforcements combined with epoxy resins help the MRO sector avoid lengthy repair times and more easily make updates and modifications to small areas of the aircraft without the need to disassemble. And the composites have high heat resistance, tensile strength and vibration resistance.

Composites One is the leading supplier of composite material to the aerospace industry in North America

Composites One is the leading distributor of composites throughout North America. We work with the aerospace industry supplying composite materials like carbon fiber, epoxy, adhesives and prepregs that benefit the MRO sector. To learn more about the composite materials we distribute, contact Composites One today.