HAMBURG, Germany - Suspended between discrete skeletal jigs, it wouldn't attract a second glance on an aircraft assembly line. Yet inside an anonymous hangar in northern Germany, a matt-black fuselage section – or barrel, in the jargon – could be the super-efficient shape of things to come, Airbus reports. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
27 January 2025 - Clean Sky 2, a European Union-funded program, aims to reduce aircraft CO₂, nitrogen oxide, and noise emissions by 30%, aligning with the EU's 2050 climate-neutral target. A key development is the Multifunctional Fuselage Demonstrator (MFFD), an eight-meter-long, four-meter-wide fuselage prototype made primarily from thermoplastic composites.
Thermoplastics, lighter and easier to recycle than traditional materials, eliminate many heavy fasteners and allow for innovative assembly methods, such as ultrasonic and laser spot welding. These techniques streamline production, reduce costs, and lower emissions.
The MFFD integrates pre-installed systems in its modular design, simplifying assembly and boosting efficiency. By late 2024, it had surpassed weight-saving goals without added costs, validating over 40 advanced technologies.
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Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
