Page 9 - AAA JULY - SEPTEMBER 2019 Online Magazine

[ MAINTENANCE REPAIR OVERHAUL ]

COMPOSITE

CULTURE the pace of new developments, the capabil-

ities that MROs need to win business in the
next five to ten years will clearly differ from
those needed today. For instance, with hun-
dreds of the new wide-bodies in use, and over
1,600 more in production, there is a growing
demand for relevantly qualified maintenance
COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT WITH PREDOMINANTLY staff with skills aligned to the emerging needs
COMPOSITE COMPONENTS HAVE MADE IT of the industry,” says Kestutis Volungevicius,
NECESSARY FOR ATTENTION TO BE FOCUSSED Chairman, Board of Directors at Avion Express
Malta Ltd, and former Head of Engineering and
ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW AND EFFECTIVE Training at FL Technics.
MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES The aerospace MRO market for composite
components is a developing market primarily
Jay Menon driven by increasing acceptance of composites
in aerostructures, especially in primary aero-
As the application of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic reached new structures such as fuselage, wing structure,
proportions with the Airbus A350 XWB and Boeing 787, MRO and empennage. The increasing fleet of newly
service providers are investing in new equipment and in training acquired aircraft across the globe and greater
technicians. However, the changes, according to MRO service penetration of composites in aircraft such as
providers, are “evolutionary rather than revolutionary.” The large the Airbus A350, A380, and Boeing B787 is
commercial aircraft with predominantly composite components expected to further aid the market.
have made it necessary for attention to be focussed on the devel-
opment of new and effective maintenance strategies. From nose to tail, Airbus utilizes advanced
composites in its jetliner product line that have
A New Age been at the forefront of materials science.
For example, most of the A350 XWB’s wing is comprised of the One particular standout material is carbon-fi-
lightweight carbon composites, including its upper and lower bre reinforced plastic, or CFRP. Composed of
covers. Measuring 32 metres long by six metres wide, these are carbon fibres locked into place with a plastic
among the largest single aviation parts ever made from carbon resin, CFRP offers a better strength-to-weight
fibre. “Boeing’s new 787 and Airbus’ A350 introduced new tech- ratio than metals and has less sensitivity to
nologies to the industry, not the least because of predominant use fatigue and corrosion. In short, it’s lighter than
of composite materials in their structures. As a result, considering aluminium, stronger than iron, and more corro-

ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE July/August/September 2019 | 9