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By the end of 2024, air travel exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with strong long-term growth projected over the next 30 years. Demand for commercial aircraft was at an all-time high — backlogs for Airbus (Blagnac, France) and Boeing (Alexandria, Va., U.S.) were 8,658 and 5,595, respectively. However, production still struggled, with Airbus delivering 766 commercial aircraft and Boeing delivering just 348 — totaling significantly less than the 1,800 commercial aircraft delivered in 2018.

Demand in defense aircraft was also strong with record budgets in the U.S. and worldwide, thanks to increasing geopolitical tensions. But here also, Boeing and Airbus have struggled to deliver. Meanwhile, Trump’s tariffs and actions have resulted in Europe boosting its defense spending and developing a “supply from within” mentality. So far, the result is a double-digit increase in the stocks of non-U.S. defense companies and a drop for U.S. counterparts. And yet, Trump announced that Boeing was awarded the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) contract for the F-47 fighter jet, which he wants to be in production before 2029. The Air Force estimates spending $20 billion by then but notes the per aircraft price will be lower than the $143 million for the 180 F-22s currently in service.

Commercial aircraft after Trump

Production in 2024 was flat compared to 2023, as explained and shown in the graph at right by Richard Aboulafia, managing director of (Ann Arbor, Mich., U.S.) in the American Composites Manufacturers Association’s (ACMA) . Aboulafia predicted that supply chain problems will most likely persist for at least the next 18 months.

But that was before Trump’s inflammatory actions in Q1 2025. Foreign arrivals to the 10 busiest U.S. airports fell in March by 20% versus 2024, while by April, flight bookings between the U.S. and Canada were down >75% year-over-year according to travel data firm (Bedfordshire, U.K.). In response, U.S. airlines have cut their revenue and earnings forecasts.

The aircraft industry in the U.S. has the most to lose, with Boeing particularly at risk. notes that Boeing has potentially three times more aircraft subject to retaliatory tariffs worldwide than Airbus’ exposure to U.S. tariffs. Meanwhile, Airbus and non-U.S. suppliers say they may prioritize non-U.S. deliveries and develop alternative supply lines in Europe and Asia.

Although it remains to be seen how much this will hamper aircraft production, Forecast International notes it will certainly reduce aircraft orders. In projected that Airbus and Boeing will deliver 837 and 569 commercial aircraft, respectively, in 2025, but that may now be reduced, depending on if and how tariffs remain.

Composites growth in commercial aircraft long-term

At CW’s annual in October 2024, (Oxfordshire, U.K.) presented its outlook for carbon fiber in the aerospace industry, noting that production rates for composites-intensive aircraft — comprising Airbus’ A220 and A350 and Boeing’s 787 and 777/X models — will continue to increase. It forecast that aerospace carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites would surpass its 2019 market of $1.74 billion by 2026, reaching $1.93 billion and continuing at a 10.5% CAGR to achieve $2.23 billion by 2028.

Counterpoint also noted that OEMs have taken more composites operations back in-house, citing Gulfstream, Boeing’s acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems (Airbus has taken over Spirit facilities in Prestwick, Scotland, Saint-Nazaire, France and Kinston, N.C.) and Airbus Atlantic formed from Stelia Aerospace, plus other sites. Counterpoint asserts that composite aerostructures manufacturers are seeking to specialize and differentiate, driving developments in new technologies and efficiency.

CW has seen this during its aviation industry plant tours over the past few years, but also how challenging it is to be a Tier 1 supplier, especially to Boeing, which continues to struggle, with versus its high of 800 aircraft in 2018.

Next-gen single-aisle

The highest production rates are for the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 single-aisle aircraft, where composites use is only 15% and 10%, respectively. However, both models are more than 40 years old — the 737 actually launched in 1964 — and the market has demanded new clean sheet narrowbodies for years. Counterpoint believes these platforms — which would enter service in the mid-2030s — will definitely include a composite wing and possibly a composite fuselage, the latter depending on program timing and maturity of candidate technologies.

During the Airbus Summit 2025 in March, the OEM outlined key points for its next generation single-aisle aircraft:

• Wings designed with advanced aerodynamics and biomimicry, longer to generate more lift, but with folding wingtips to accommodate current airports.
• Open fan engines with CFRP fan blades that could reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by an additional 20% compared to current engines.
• Hybrid-electric propulsion which supplements the use of conventional jet fuel or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with electricity from batteries or hydrogen-powered fuel cells.
• Higher strength and lightweight composites, exploring the potential to replace CFRP with biomass composites and thermoplastic composites that not only increase sustainability, but for the latter, also enable faster and more cost-effective assembly, as demonstrated in the Multifunctional Fuselage Demonstrator (MFFD).

Composites in aeroengines

The outlook for composites in aircraft engines is bullish, driven by the continued push for higher performance, lower fuel burn and improved emissions. The use of CFRP and ceramic matrix composites (CMC) is expected to increase. A gives a nice summary of such advancements in business jets:

The Rolls-Royce [London, U.K.] Pearl 10X turbofan for the new Dassault Falcon 10X — slated for deliveries in 2027 — will use composites in the nacelle, bypass ducts, maintenance doors, fan track liners, spinners and cable bushings. The GE Passport engine for the Bombardier 8000 — slated to enter service in 2025 — features composites and CMC in the nacelle, cowling, exhaust cone and mixer. The Passport is also serving as the demonstration platform for NASA’s Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core (HyTEC) program for next-gen airliners after 2030. The program will look at embedding electric motors in the engines to drive more aircraft systems as well as use of CMC high-pressure turbine (HPT) components and in the liners for enhanced combustors. NASA reported the latter reached TRL 5 in 2024.

Rolls-Royce will also use CMC to boost high-temperature resistance in the interface between the HPT blades and static seal in its XWB-97 engine which powers the Airbus A350-1000. The company is also using CFRP fan blades in its UltraFan engine. that Rolls-Royce plans to freeze the design of a smaller version of the UltraFan to target next-gen single-aisle platforms. This small UltraFan reportedly leverages design elements developed for the Pearl 10X.

BWB and supersonic aircraft rely on composites

Natilus (San Diego, Calif., U.S.), founded in 2016, and (Long Beach, Calif., U.S.), founded in 2021, are developing composite-intensive blended wing body (BWB) aircraft that offer greater volume/capacity, lower weight, fuel burn and carbon emissions than current tube-and-wing aircraft. Natilus’ Kona unmanned cargo aircraft, which has 460 pre-orders, an 85-foot wingspan, 3.8-ton payload, 900-nautical mile range and construction that is 80% CFRP (fuselage) and 20% metal (twin tails and control surfaces). At 19,000 pounds, it can be certified per General Aviation guidelines and is scheduled to enter service in 2028.

Natilus’ second model is the Horizon with a 118-foot wingspan, 25-ton payload, 3500-nautical mile range and all-CFRP construction. Targeted to enter service in the early 2030s, it is designed for the narrowbody market, accommodating up to 200 passengers on routes such as San Diego to Hawaii, Los Angeles to Boston, and New York to London. While Kona provides twice the cargo volume with 30% less drag, reducing cost by up to 60% versus current aircraft, the company says the Horizon will be 25% lighter, provide 40% greater capacity and emit 50% less carbon than current commercial jetliners.

JetZero, meanwhile, has a $235 million contract from the Department of Defense for its BWB demonstrator to fly in 2027. This contract will advance this technology for a military tanker that could also be repurposed as a 250-260 passenger jet offering a 50% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions compared to existing aircraft, possibly entering service in the early 2030s.

Boom Supersonic (Englewood, Colo., U.S.) was founded in 2014 to re-establish supersonic passenger air travel. Its XB-1 demonstrator and Overture supersonic airliner are made almost entirely from CFRP. The XB-1 achieved supersonic flight without producing a sonic boom in 2025. Boom will use the XB-1 flight data to develop “Boomless Cruise” for Overture. Stretching 201 feet tip-to-tail, Overture has a 4,250-nautical mile range and 64-80 passenger capacity. Powered by Boom’s in-house built Symphony turbofan engine, Overture will fly at speeds up to Mach 1.7, cutting flight time from Newark to Frankfurt, for example, from 8 to 4 hours. Boom has 130 orders and pre-orders for Overture, including from American Airlines, United Airlines and Japan Airlines. Completed in June 2024, the Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina, (next to HondaJet) will produce 33 aircraft/year with the first assembly line, with plans to double that with a second line. The company is shooting for entry into service by 2029.

Thermoplastic composites (TPC) continue to advance

As Airbus explained in its 2025 summit, the completion of the MFFD fuselage barrel has advanced the technology readiness levels (TRL) of thermoplastic composite (TPC) aerostructures and demonstrated the ability to achieve “dustless” assembly and reuse of production waste in clips and brackets. In the panel session CW moderated at ITHEC 2024, titled “Large-scale thermoplastic composite demonstrators — status and roadmap for certification in future airframes,” panelist Piet Wölcken, European R&T demonstrator project manager for Airbus, noted that there will be more TPC parts on aircraft in the coming years even before the next-gen single-aisle platforms.

This was reiterated by David Manten, founder of Dutch Thermoplastic Components (DTC, Almere, Netherlands) which was acquired by Collins Aerospace in 2021. He believes more hybrid thermoplastic and thermoset structures will be seen near-term, noting this construction is already in use via TPC ribs in A320 elevators (see CW’s tour of this facility, “Plant tour: Collins Aerospace”).

In March 2025, Airbus Bremen (Germany) and Pinette PEI (Chalon-sur-Saône, France) announced installation of the world’s largest TPC press with a 2 × 5-meter area for stamp forming and co-consolidation of parts such as aircraft wing ribs, door surrounds and fuselage parts.

Seeking to make sure that the U.S. is not left behind, the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center (AAMMC, ) announced that it is finalizing specifications for an even larger press to be installed in its 386,000-square-foot facility adjacent to the Spokane International Airport in Washington state. Its goal and that of its 50 consortium members is to accelerate the development and certification of large-sized TPC parts in the U.S. needed for the next generation of aircraft.

Tier 1 supplier and general aviation aircraft manufacturer, Daher (Nantes, France), has also continued its development of TPC structures, welding and recycling. Celebrating the 2-year anniversary of its Shap’in technical center, the company notes its demonstration of fastener-free assembly that could reduce aerostructure weight by up to 15%.

The race to ramp aerocomposites production

Another key motivation for using TPC is the faster production cycles they offer. However, there are other materials and processes being developed that are also capable of boosting production rates. Airbus, in particular, needs to ramp its supply chain in order to meet its target of 75 narrowbodies per month by 2027.  

This push comes from the unprecedented global backlog of 17,000 aircraft — equivalent to roughly 50% of the current fleet. However, at current production rates, it will take 13.5 years to clear this — for example, aircraft ordered today may not be delivered until nearly 2040. Meanwhile, Boeing and Airbus project that 42,000-44,000 aircraft will be needed by 2043 to meet growing air travel demand, including 33,000 narrowbodies.

An example of the efforts to address this include the ASCEND program. In the March 2025 article, “…Transforming the U.K.’s high-rate composites manufacturing capability,” CW discussed how this 4-year initiative, led by GKN Aerospace’s Global Technology Centre in Bristol (U.K.), achieved TRL 6 across 42 individual projects. Fast-cure prepregs demonstrated included Hexcel’s HexPly M51 for full cure in 40 minutes without post-cure, validated in complex parts with unidirectional tape from 6.35- to 300-millimeter widths for AFP and ATL. Similarly, Syensqo’s EP2750 enables complex geometries in 30 minutes when used with double diaphragm forming and spring frame press fabrication in hot compression molding.

But the remaining aero advances were all about RTM. GKN Aerospace, for example, developed an automated RTM cell comprising custom injection equipment with smart tooling and induction heating, all controlled through a digital twin framework. “This allows us to achieve aerospace-grade quality at automotive-inspired production rates,” says Tony Lloyd, GKN principal composite research engineer. Using automated handling and forming with fast induction heating and closed-loop process control has transformed how GKN produces composite aerostructures. “We’re establishing new benchmarks for high-rate composites manufacturing,” says Lloyd, “that will be crucial for both urban air mobility [UAM] and next-generation single-aisle aircraft markets.”

Additive manufacturing (AM) developments

Other key trends in composite aerostructures production include additive manufacturing’s (AM) move into CFRP tools for serial production of autoclave-cured parts and its first steps toward functionalizing flying parts. CW content that discuss these developments include:

• 3D printed CFRP tools for serial production of autoclave composite landing flaps
• Industrializing additive manufacturing in the defense/aerospace sector
• R&D projects, additively functionalized part demonstrate composites innovation

A key player in maturing extrusion-based 3D printing for aviation and other industries is Airtech International via its AM headquarters in Springfield, Tennessee (see the CW plant tour), which provides full mechanical evaluation and thermal characterization of its 3D printing materials. It helps customers optimize printing parameters for their specific applications and also works with all extrusion-based 3D printing machine manufacturers to validate its materials, resulting in parts that can meet stringent technical requirements.

“So, it doesn’t matter if the customer is printing on a robot printer by CEAD [Delft, Netherlands] or a large gantry machine, the results and performance, and even the CTE [coefficient of thermal expansion], is exactly as expected and as modeled in the part design and process engineering,” says Gregory Haye, director of AM for Airtech. “I do think it helps that we understand aerospace expectations. We want to pull the whole market up that curve with us.”

Sustainability focus for the future

Of course, sustainability has become a major force in the aviation industry, guiding decisions in the development of next-generation engines and airframes as already discussed above. One of the top 10 CW articles for 2024 was about the DOMMINIO (Digital method for improved Manufacturing of next-generation MultIfuNctIOnal airframe parts) project that demonstrated technologies to enable multifunctional, intelligent airframe parts that would also benefit repair and recycling at end of life (EOL).

Airbus’ exploration of biomaterials for next-gen aircraft was discussed above, but also in CW’s 2024 blog, “Airbus works to improve the life cycle of composites in future aircraft.” Blanka Szost-Ouk is materials Fast Track leader at Airbus, one of six that are developing the OEM’s roadmap for key technologies. “We not only evaluate the LCA [life cycle assessment] of the technologies we will develop,” she explains, “but we also have specific projects to develop more circular composite solutions, including recycling and EOL solutions as well as bio-sourced composites. We’re putting a lot of effort into this, and I have specific projects in this area.” Even though Airbus will not compromise its aerospace lightweight, performance and safety requirements, says Szost-Ouk, “I believe there is a way forward to find bio-sourced replacements — which could result in a lower environmental footprint than current oil-based materials — for some of the composite materials we are using today, but we still have to go through the same qualification path. Here, computational tools using AI and/or will be a stepping stone.”

“We will be testing a bio-based carbon fiber in a helicopter as a drop-in solution to replace current carbon fiber composites,” says Airbus expert in multifunctional composites, Tamara Blanco. “This material is coming from wood waste, and our goal is to have the same performance but with much lower CO₂ emissions in carbon fiber production because it’s coming from a bio-source instead of the current petrochemical-based PAN precursor. This fiber has now flown in our helicopter flying lab. So, we are on the way to demonstrate that we can obtain both resins and fibers from bio-sources, looking first at fibers, and proving the same performance as current materials.”

“If we think about bio-based materials, such as PA11 that comes from the castor plant, the properties are a bit weaker compared to the petrochemical-based polymer,” says Szost-Ouk. “So, we will have to develop alternatives. But I think these types of solutions can be aided with digital technologies, which will speed up our ability to find solutions in the next few years. We at Airbus are very active in this area, and not just doing experimental work but also supporting computations with the latest in innovative technologies.”

Boeing is also exploring biomaterials, including lighter, recyclable and more durable floor coverings and recycled carbon fiber ceiling panels — both made with 25% bio-based resin. Read “Boeing ecoDemonstrator 2024 explores cabin recyclability” for more information. Other CW content discussing additional efforts to push this technology forward include:

• Carbon fiber/flax landing gear achieves 54% weight reduction via tailored layup optimization
• BioStruct project to validate biocomposite-focused manufacturing processes
• BIOntier project studies multi-sector biocomposites development

Development of technology to enable hydrogen-powered aircraft also continues. Although Airbus remains committed to this technology, it has pushed entry into service for its first ZEROe aircraft from 2035 to 2045, explaining that global development of the required hydrogen infrastructure, production, distribution and regulatory frameworks, has been slower than anticipated. Meanwhile, ZeroAvia (Everett, Wash., U.S.) moves ahead, awarded funding by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Air Force and reaching a certification basis for its hydrogen-powered propulsion systems. In addition, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) held its first workshop on certifying hydrogen-powered aircraft in Europe and projects developing composite storage tanks for hydrogen-fueled aviation reported on their progress, including the Netherlands liquid hydrogen (LH₂) composite tank consortium and the OVERLEAF project.

Composites 4.0 and AI in aerostructures

“I cannot imagine circularity without digitalization,” says Blanka Szost-Ouk, the Airbus materials Fast Track leader quoted above (see CW blog and #digitization topic). She notes the composites industry is pursuing increased materials digitalization, which involves collecting and working with data in digital formats for more efficient storage, access, continuity and analysis. “And this enables using information in a proactive, predictable way, to improve our products across their entire lifetime, from the innovation phase through to EOL. Data continuity is key for us to track the history of materials in our parts. And we also are working on digital solutions that will enable us to be faster in our innovation.”

Examples of this type of digitalization were explored by CW in its plant tours of Sekisui Aerospace and Middle River Aerostructures Systems (ST Engineering MRAS). Initiatives at the latter include dynamic nesting and materials tracking — discussed in the MRAS tour article — as well as digitizing incoming materials shipments and autoclave operations.

For materials shipments, the company is implementing Plataine’s (Waltham, Mass., U.S.) AI-powered Supplier Connectivity Manager solution to digitize its shipment process. The previous manual system involved reviewing hundreds of quality files and Certificates of Compliance (CoCs) detailing each material lot’s quality information. The new system automates the shipment process from suppliers, digitizes CoCs and reduces the receiving process from hours to minutes. A Digital Passport is created for each material lot, providing a comprehensive record of its production and quality attributes. This digitized process will help boost MRAS’ operational efficiency as well as overall supply chain efficiency by streamlining operations across its suppliers, providing a holistic view of the composite material life cycle, from raw materials to finished parts.

ST Engineering MRAS is also implementing a dynamic digital scheduling system to maximize throughput and efficiency for its 12 autoclaves. This system continually monitors material journeys and coordinates batch curing with machine-run schedules to optimize autoclave capacity. “By optimizing load scheduling and ensuring parts are autoclave-ready, we can significantly increase efficiency and reduce waste,” says Mitch Smith, director of technology and process engineering, and acting vice president of operations at MRAS.

Meanwhile, efforts are increasing to use digitalization and AI for improving a wide range of operations including materials/parts/tool tracking, inspection and reduced energy consumption:

• Streamlining aerospace composites with RFID tracking
• RTX’s Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and TU Delft enhance collaboration on high-speed intelligent inspection systems
• The pursuit of energy efficiency in composites manufacturing

Air mobility growth and challenges

As explained in a (Hook, Hampshire, U.K.), advanced air mobility (AAM) is a paradigm shift in aviation and urban/regional transport. Although the unmanned and/or piloted electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft being developed for air taxis/UAM and regional air mobility (RAM) are set to revolutionize the transportation of passengers and cargo, the evolving AAM ecosystem is complex and faces numerous challenges, including significant advancements in technology, regulation and public acceptance. Significant successes to date include the ’s top five companies: Joby, EHang, Beta Technologies, Archer and Volocopter. CW has reported on these companies extensively and also held a Tech Days event “Composites in Advanced Air Mobility” in December 2023.

Joby Aviation (Santa Cruz, Calif., U.S.) has completed more than 1,500 test flights, including successful demonstrations in Korea, Japan and with the U.S. Air Force. It reports record progress in the fourth of five stages required to certify its aircraft for commercial passenger use in the U.S., expecting Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) flight testing to begin in the next 12 months and first passenger operations in Dubai by 2026. It also received $1 billion in additional funding in Q4 2024. CW has reported on Joby’s progress and extensive use of composites, including:

• Plant tour: Joby Aviation, Marina, Calif., U.S.
• GKN Fokker to manufacturing thermoplastic composite flight control surfaces
• Acquisition of facility at Dayton International Airport, scaling to manufacture 500 eVTOLs/year
• Study to replace woven prepreg with braid for wing spar

EHang Holdings Ltd. (Guangzhou, China) has received all necessary certifications from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), making it the first eVTOL certified for passenger-carrying commercial operations. The company is now preparing launch of low-altitude, pilotless, human-carrying service across China. The company has announced a strategic cooperation with Hefei-based Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Co. Ltd. (JAC Motors) and Hefei Guoxian Holdings Co. Ltd. (Guoxian Holdings) to establish a joint venture in Hefei for a state-of-the-art manufacturing base. The facility will integrate advanced technology, standardization and automation to produce intelligent and pilotless eVTOL aircraft.

In March 2025, , the 19^th country being prepared for operations. It will scale operations with local partner, Air Mobility, and then expand to more Latin American countries. EHang established its first European UAM center in Spain in 2023.

Beta Technologies (Burlington, Vt., U.S.) is certifying two variants with the FAA: the conventional Alia CTOL and the Alia VTOL. The company has raised more than $1 billion in funding and in 2023 opened a ~200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at the Burlington Intl. Airport for producing up to 300 aircraft per year. It has begun to fulfill more than 600 orders from global operators including Air New Zealand, UPS, United Therapeutics, Blade Urban Air Mobility, Bristow, Helijet, LCI, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army. Flight of its first production aircraft in November 2024 was followed by the FAA granting a Multipurpose Special Airworthiness Certificate for the Alia CTOL. Beta is seeking full certification for commercial passenger and cargo operations with the Alia CX300 in 2025 and similar certification for the Alia VTOL shortly after. Syensqo (Alpharetta, Ga., U.S.) has been appointed as primary supplier for composite materials, which are used for primary and secondary structures, as well as non-structural parts.

Volocopter (Bruchsal, Germany) has conducted test flights in major cities like Singapore and Paris and is developing a comprehensive ecosystem that encompasses not only the aircraft but also infrastructure, such as vertiports and maintenance facilities. It received German Federal Aviation approval for the production of the VoloCity aircraft in March 2024, but then filed for insolvency in December 2024. In March 2025, Diamond Aircraft Industries (Wiener Neustadt, Austria) announced it had integrated Volocopter into its portfolio, maintaining its headquarters in Bruchsal and targeting further certification milestones in 2025. Volocopter has more than 500 pre-orders for its  air taxi, which uses composites in its airframe, rotor blades and seat components.

Archer Aviation (Santa Clara, Calif., U.S.) has orders for 200 of its Midnight eVTOL from United Airlines, up to 116 aircraft from Future Flight Global and 100 aircraft from Soracle (a joint venture between Japan Airlines and Sumitomo). It has raised more than $1 billion in funding and in April 2025, unveiled plans for a New York City air taxi network in partnership with United Airlines to enable passengers to travel from Manhattan to nearby airports in just 5-15 minutes using the Midnight eVTOL aircraft. Archer has also secured air taxi agreements with Ethiopian Airlines and is targeting air taxi service in Dubai by the end of 2025.

The company has started production at its ~400,000-square foot ARC facility at the Covington Municipal Airport in Georgia. Auto for Stellantis to act as the exclusive contract manufacturer to mass produce the Midnight eVTOL at this facility, contributing capital, advanced manufacturing technology, expertise and experienced personnel with the goal of scaling to 650 aircraft/year by 2030. Archer also launched Archer Defense in December 2024 alongside Anduril Industries (Costa Mesa, Calif., U.S.) to jointly develop a VTOL aircraft for critical defense applications.

The future of AAM

Analysis from Boston-based (Mass., U.S.) projects a global fleet of 12,000 eVTOLs by 2035 and 45,000 by 2040. However, this depends on multiple factors, including developments in improved battery technology, air traffic control and vertiport infrastructure as well as achieving aircraft certification and promised performance. Bain reports that currently, more than 25,000 civil turbine helicopters are in service globally, but the market is limited due to high operating costs and limitations on infrastructure and routes — including those due to noise and pollution — as well as safety issues. AAM offers low-noise vehicles with lower maintenance, improved flight efficiency and potentially zero-emissions, depending on the source of electricity for recharging the batteries. However, current batteries are only offering an average of 1,000 cycles for a lifetime of 18-36 months. These batteries are heavy, expensive and pose a recycling issue at EOL, as well as environmental issues with mining for the rare earth minerals required.

Even as the German AAM company, Lilium, has filed for , the market continues to advance, including in Latin America and India. A , notes that it is the third-largest civil aviation market in the world where airports and aircraft have doubled since 2014 to 157 and more than 800, respectively. As urban populations continue to grow, the Indian government sees AAM as necessary to address traffic congestion and provide cleaner, faster, more sustainable transport. It is committed to fostering innovation, issuing comprehensive guidelines for integrating eVTOLs into India’s transportation ecosystem. For example, Sarla Aviation is working with Bangalore International Airport to integrate eVTOLs into the city’s transportation network.

Further reporting from CW on key developments in this market include:

• Aviation-specific battery system uses advanced composites address electric hybrid flight
• FACC to fabricated essential components for Eve’s eVTOL
• Pipistrel announces first flight success with Nuuva V300
• Airbus puts a pause on CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL program.