Montana Aerospace advances hybrid aircraft structure work with Airbus

what happened

Asco, a subsidiary of Swiss-listed Montana Aerospace AG, according to Reuters, has reached a notable technological milestone. Its Belgian unit, Asco Industries in Zaventem, has brought a hybrid metal-composite rear secondary structure (RSS) fairing for Airbus's next-generation single-aisle aircraft to a high level of maturity. A full-scale prototype was presented to a wide group of Airbus stakeholders in Toulouse at a final review meeting.

The project began in 2022 under a collaborative research agreement between Airbus Airframe Propulsion and Asco. The design combines carbon fibre composite skins made by resin transfer moulding with aluminium and titanium interfaces, thermoplastic frames and injection-moulded thermoplastic parts. The company says the new concept cuts structural weight, lowers cost mainly through shorter installation time and is designed for high-rate production.

“Reaching this level of maturity is the result of years of engineering work by our teams in close collaboration with Airbus,” said Asco CEO Jérôme Morhet. Airbus plans to keep evaluating the concept at complete pylon level, including installation trials of the demonstrator on a representative next-generation pylon structure.

why it matters

For investors, the news confirms Montana Aerospace's capabilities in multi-material aerostructures and its push beyond its traditional wing business. It matters mainly to the company and its customer rather than the broader market, and the financial terms of the work are not disclosed in the text.

tags

instruments