Hexcel is the preferred supplier of composite materials to the civil aerospace industry, with materials present in virtually every commercial aircraft currently built in the western world. No other supplier can match Hexcel’s extensive range of Redux® adhesives, prepregs, honeycombs, special process core and Fibrelam® panels.

Civil aircraft continue to consume greater levels of composites, benefiting from their strength and stiffness, tolerance of temperature extremes, high resistance to corrosion and fatigue and the weight saving opportunities.

Composites accounted for about five per cent of the dry weight of the original model of the Boeing 737. This figure has risen to almost 20 per cent of the dry weight of the new Airbus A340. The newest application for composites in civil aircraft primary structures is the Airbus keel beam, made from Hexcel carbon fiber Prepreg.

1 Radome: Specialized glass Prepregs. Flexcore® honeycomb 
2 Landing Gear Doors and Leg Fairings: Glass/carbon Prepregs,honeycomb and Redux® bonded assembly. Special process honeycomb. 
3 Galley, Wardrobes, Toilets: Fabricated Fibrelam® panels 
4 Partitions: Fibrelam® panel materials
5 Wing to Body Fairing: Carbon/glass/aramid Prepregs. Honeycombs. Redux® adhesive. 
6 Wing Assembly: (Trailing Edge Shroud Box) Carbon/glass Prepregs. Nomex® honeycomb. Redux® bonded assembly
7 Flying Control Surfaces - Ailerons, Spoilers, Vanes, Flaps: Glass/carbon/aramid Prepregs. Honeycomb. Redux® adhesive
8 Passenger Flooring: Fibrelam® panels
9 Engine Nacelles and Thrust Reversers: Carbon/glass Prepregs. Nomex® honeycomb. Special process parts.
10 Pylon Fairings: Carbon/glass Prepregs. Bonded assembly. Redux® adhesives
11 Winglets: Carbon/glass Prepregs 
12 Keel Beam: Carbon Prepregs
13 Cargo Flooring: Fibrelam® panels
14 Flaptrack Fairings: Carbon/glass Prepregs. Special process parts
15 Overhead Storage Bins: Prepregs/fabricated Fibrelam panels
16 Ceiling and Side Wall Panels: Glass Prepregs
17 Airstairs: Fabricated Fibrelam® panels
18 Pressure Bulkhead: Carbon Prepregs
19 Vertical Stabilizer: Carbon/glass/aramid Prepregs
20 Rudder: Carbon/glass Prepregs. Honeycomb bonded assembly
21 Horizontal Stabilizer: Carbon/glass Prepregs
22 Elevator: Carbon/glass Prepregs. Honeycomb bonded assembly
23 Tail Cone: Carbon/glass Prepregs

This drawing is generic, to allow the maximum number of potential composite applications to be identified. The drawing is not intended to represent a specific aircraft.

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