Re:Boeing cutting more than 12,000 U.S. jobs with thousands ...
by redis_mlc on Thursday May 28, 2020 @01:02AM
(#23333558)
Composites have some pluses, but also serious minuses.
Here's a good overview: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/composite-materials-aircra...
Metals have inherent temperature-resistance and repairability that composites don't have, and support transsonic and supersonic flight heating.
Some early aircraft that used composites ended up heavier than aluminum, so achieved no benefit.
I consider metals to be higher tech than composites for aircraft construction.
Also, metal can be quickly stamped, whereas composites are generally made by vacuum forming, which is a slow process that's hard to parallelize.
Most of the WW2 planes you've heard of were made of metal in runs of 10,000 to 20,000 each, impossible for composites - you might get 10% or less.
Most of the A380 and A350 are composite, just put together differently to the 787.
Airbus also now have access to the most advanced composite lay-up technology, used by Bombardier Belfast to build the A220 wings.
The real pioneer was Beech, with the all-composite Starship; it took huge balls to release that on the commercial market, and sadly the gamble didn't pay off. They went back to building aluminium King Airs.