Sara Black Senior Technical Editor Emeritus

Aerospace 29 Jul 2018

Luxury travel by airship returns

A look at composites on the Airlander 10 hybrid aircraft by Hybrid Air Vehicles, a helium-filled airship. HAV made a splash at Farnborough this year by announcing luxury tourist travel.

Braiding 22 Jul 2018

Tour de France and bicycles: a showcase for composites

Senior editor Sara Black offers a round up of CW’s reporting over the years about composite bikes and the design efforts and complex materials that go into them.

Aerospace 16 Jul 2018

Farnborough 2018: Uncertain expectations?

Today marks the start of the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. This year’s event, while it promises to offer the usual awesome aircraft displays and plenty of aerocomposite parts innovations, is being staged among some political and business challenges.

Carbon Fibers 9 Jul 2018

It’s time to plan your Wisconsin trip: Oshkosh 2018 is coming

The annual EAA AirVenture event is an air show/aircraft exhibition/trade show/learning opportunity/history lesson/concert venue/giant campout/Wisconsin bratfest and more. As in past years, composites industry expert and CW contributor Russ Emanis will spearhead a composites fabrication demonstration during the show.

Sustainability 2 Jul 2018

An under-appreciated industrial application

A humble industrial application, manholes and trench access covers, has turned out to be a successful venture for composite manhole supplier Fibrelite.

Application 1 Jul 2018

Durable UAV speeds to production

3D-printed prototypes used to accelerate design iterations and expedite manufacturing plans.

Plant Tours 1 Jul 2018

Plant tour: FBM Composite Materials, Kiryat Gat, Israel

Tier 2 composites manufacturer FBM Composite Materials developed the right pill for a Boeing headache and became the sole supplier of 787-9 Dreamliner door surrounds.

NDI 1 Jul 2018

Plant tour: Kanfit Ltd., Migdal HaEmek, Israel

Aerospace tier supplier Kanfit Ltd. is expanding, offering both composite and metal parts for applications in an expanding range of high-performance markets.

Wind/Energy 1 Jul 2018

A complete paradigm shift in aircraft construction

With its new Torreswing automated system for mold-free, fastener-free composite fuselage and wing construction, MTorres aims to revolutionize aerostructure.

Pultrusion 25 Jun 2018

Serving pultrusion customers in the digital age

Thanks to composites and robust engineering design, the life expectancy of two FRP footbridges in Scotland is expected to be more than 60 years.

Aerospace 17 Jun 2018

Still working toward electric aircraft

A lot of research effort continues on electric propulsion for aircraft; many programs are aimed at developing viable battery-electric or solar propulsion for smaller aircraft.

Watch

Carbon Fibers 12 Jun 2018

Building an aircraft without molds or fasteners?

MTorres has a concept (TRL 6) with which aircraft will be built with minimal hand labor, without typical molds, without metallic fasteners, and without typical stringers as they are used today.