INDUSTRY REPORT
moved towards more lightweight materials in general , including plastics , carbon fibre and composites , which also increase fuel efficiency .
“ A rise in the need for new aircraft ; advances in technology ; expansion in aircraft size and higher recovery rates are the primary factors driving the expansion of the global aviation market globally ,” said the analyst .
“ For aircraft construction , elements such as titanium alloys , aluminium alloys and composites are being used . However , it is anticipated that demand for synthetic structures and titanium alloys will rise in the coming years as their use expands . The manufacture of intelligent synthetic structures ( by embedding sensors into synthetic structures ) has been highlighted by several aviation material suppliers ,” it added .
According to the analyst , by aircraft type , the commercial segment generated a 51 % revenue share in 2021 . By application , the exteriors segment contributed an 83 % revenue share in 2021 . By type , the composite segment held a 69 % market share in 2021 . The European region achieved a 35 % market share in 2021 .
“ The global market for aircraft materials is dominated by the North American continent . This region has a larger concentration of aerospace companies , which explains its supremacy . A potential development [ indicator ] is also the region ' s extensive aviation travel and industry . Substantial government spending on air defence systems also creates a tremendous market for aeronautical components ,” said the analyst .
It also highlighted the market for aircraft components in Europe . Germany , France and the UK all have aircraft manufacturing , which stimulates economic growth .
“ The fastest-growing global sector is the Asia Pacific . A significant need for aircraft is being driven by the large number of flying passengers and growing number of flights ,” added the analyst .
Zero-emissions air travel
Modelling by aviation experts at Cranfield University , as part of a major UK aviation consortium , has shown that passengers could be flying between UK regions on planes with zero carbon emissions within the next 20 years . Countries like Germany and France are already investing heavily in large-scale hydrogen projects .
Researchers in the Centre for Air Transport Management and the Safety and Accident Investigation Centre at Cranfield worked with major aerospace manufacturers , UK airports and academic institutions on Project NAPKIN ( New Aviation Propulsion Knowledge Innovation Network ) as part of UK Research and Innovation ’ s Future Flight Challenge .
The research is the most comprehensive study to date on the potential for a carbon-free future for UK domestic aviation by 2040 , revealing how hydrogen-fuelled aircraft could revolutionise the future of
Image : Shutterstock . com .
IAAPS will support GKN Aerospace ’ s H2GEAR Programme to develop a megawatt-scale cryogenic electric drive system using PEM fuel cells .
flight . To help achieve this , the consortium recommends a wide-ranging industry review of how aviation fits into the national hydrogen strategy .
“ The first hydrogen-powered commercial flights on small ( 7-19 seat ) modified aircraft , such as those in development by a partner on the project , Cranfield Aerospace Solutions , could be introduced as soon as 2026 . These small-scale hydrogen-powered planes could be used to provide vital connections between the UK mainland and island communities ,” said Cranfield University .
“ By the end of the next decade , newly designed hydrogen aircraft carrying between 40 and 90 passengers could be deployed across the UK ’ s domestic route network and into Europe , with ranges of up to 2,600 kilometres , around the distance from London to Istanbul , for example ,” it added .
Modelling showed that , with cautious forecasts of future hydrogen prices and maintenance / repair costs , the finances associated with operating hydrogen aircraft could be competitive with comparable kerosene-fuelled aircraft .
Additional modelling by Cranfield forecast that , by 2040 , the UK aviation sector may require as much as 300,000 tonnes of ‘ green hydrogen ’, generated from renewable sources , which will increase further as more airlines switch to zero-emission aircraft . This greatly surpasses current green hydrogen production in the UK and does not account for the increased demand from other sectors that may probably occur over the same period .
“ Given the relatively small demand for hydrogen in the short term , it is unlikely that airports will need to invest heavily on intrusive new delivery and storage infrastructure until demand increases significantly , likely to be from 2035 onwards ,” said Cranfield University .
The UK aviation consortium behind Project NAPKIN consists of three airports ( Heathrow , London City , HIAL ), three manufacturers ( GKN Aerospace , Rolls-Royce , Cranfield Aerospace Solutions ), three academic institutions ( UCL , Cranfield and Southampton ) supported by Deloitte and three airlines ( easyJet , British Airways and Loganair ).
Leading global Tier 1 supplier , GKN Aerospace , and advanced propulsion R & I centre , IAAPS , have also announced a strategic partnership to develop and validate novel hydrogen technology solutions for the decarbonisation of the aviation industry . IAAPS will support GKN Aerospace ’ s H2GEAR Programme to develop a megawatt-scale cryogenic electric drive system using PEM fuel cells . IAAPS will deliver key aspects of the comprehensive testing and validation programme at its new R & I centre with both green H₂ production and liquid H₂ storage facility .
The multi-year , multi-million-pound project will encompass both component and system-level testing of hybrid hydrogen and electric architecture and drive forward investment in infrastructure for the delivery of gaseous and liquid hydrogen and development of cryogenic cooling systems . n
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ismr . net | ISMR December 2022 / January 2023