Landing aircraft Photo by Josue Isai Ramos Figueroa on Unsplash |
Among the trends currently driving the global commercial aerospace sector is sustained expansion in passengers, with the commercial aircraft order backlog now at a historical peak. With 14,000 orders in place, nearly 40,000 aircraft are expected to go into commission over the next 20 years. According to Boeing, 42,730 new jets will be required to accommodate passenger traffic increases and to replace future aircraft retirements.
A particular driver of growth is the Asia-Pacific region which represents growing commercial research, production, and design hub. This is underpinned by defense industries that have grown significantly in a climate of elevated geopolitical stress.
Reflecting environmental and cost-saving mandates, one broad industry emphasis is on more fuel-efficient aircraft that drive down total ownership and acquisition costs. With a More-Electric Aircraft platform (MEA) currently being implemented, All-Electric Aircraft (AEA) are on the horizon. Unfortunately, with various safety, efficiency, and power density hurdles still to be surmounted, AEA craft are only expected to reach scaled production in the long term.