What Happened
Aerospace Suppliers Jockey For Position In Next Generation Aircraft
As the aerospace industry prepares for the next generation of narrowbody aircraft, suppliers of composite aerostructures are jockeying for position. With Airbus and Boeing expected to rely on higher composite material content to reduce weight and improve efficiency, suppliers such as Aernnova, Daher, Latecoere, Montana Aerospace, and Saab are pitching new technologies and manufacturing techniques. The industry is also seeing a trend towards insourcing, with airframers taking a more active role in production. According to analyst Kevin Michaels, airframers must understand that their suppliers need to be profitable, and that automation will be central in aerostructures manufacturing for the next generation of narrowbodies. This article was first reported by Aviation Week.