Aerospace
Coatings
The U.S. and European airline
industries are flying through
rough turbulence.
BY TIM WRIGHT
EDITOR
When it comes to airplanes, the
coatings that go on them represent a highly technical challenge for paint makers as they are the
most demanding of all paint systems. They
need to be able to deal with temperatures
ranging from - 48°F in the air to 120°F on
the ground, as well as having to withstand
strong UV exposure at 30,000 feet. In addition to coping with extreme temperature
fluctuations they must resist cracking due
to rapid changes in air pressure. They also
need to resist erosion from air drag and
deflect the impact of dust traveling at 500
mph, which has an effect similar to sandpaper. On the ground, aircraft coatings
also have to withstand contact with
aggressive fluids such as fuel, deicing fluids and hydraulic liquids.
That’s not all. Airplanes also have to
look good. Attractive colors and unique
paint schemes are how we’re able to
identify and distinguish one airline from
another. We can all tell the difference
between Continental and FedEx carriers
at a glance.
CLOUDS GATHER
OVER AVIATION INDUSTRY
The aviation industry has been flying
through rough turbulence due to record
high crude oil prices. Global crude peaked
at about $150 a barrel earlier this summer and was threatening to breach the
$200 a barrel-mark by the year end. The
price per barrel has fallen and at the time
of press, was hovering between $120 and
$130 a barrel. Still very high. While some
analysts feel prices could soften even further, all it takes is one disruptive geopolitical event to spook investors and send
prices climbing.
At the recent Farnborough Air Show
in the UK, the head of the International
Air Transport Association (IATA),
Giovanni Bisignani, told a conference
audience that the industry is facing an
emergency situation. He said fuel now
represented roughly 34% of airlines’
operating costs, up from 14% five years
ago and that airlines faced a fuel bill of
$190 billion this year.
Earlier this year IATA said 25 airlines around the world became bankrupt or stopped operations in the first
six months of this year.
The Air Transport Association (ATA) in
the U.S. has reported that the U.S. airline
industry’s fuel bill this year will touch at
least $61 billion, compared with $41 billion in 2007 and $32 billion in 2006.
A year ago, U.S. airlines were enjoying
profits—a welcome relief after five years
of major losses. Industry analysts predict
the ten largest carriers will lose around
$750 million in the second quarter this
year on their way to an estimated full
year 2008 loss approaching $6 billion.
At the same time major U.S. aerospace corporation Boeing reported that
its net income fell 19% during the second quarter, however, the company said
it still plans to meet its projections for
sales and earnings growth for 2008 and
2009, even amid growing concerns that
high oil prices could lead to a wave of
cancellations among airlines.
“Right now, the demand for fuel-efficient new aircraft is still higher
than what we can supply from our
production plans,” said Boeing CEO
Jim McNerney during a conference
call with analysts and reporters.
At Farnborough, the aviation indus-
try touted a green agenda as high oil
prices and slowing economies, such as
the U.S., continue to put pressure on
planemakers and airlines.
ASIA AND MIDDLE EAST
REGION FLYING HIGH
While European and U.S. airline orders
have fallen silent, planemakers still
added to record backlogs, dominated by
Asian and Gulf-based airlines.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprises’ $12.6
billion order for 100 Airbus planes was
followed by a deal worth $7 billion for 30
Airbus A350 XWB planes and ten
options from Korea’s Asiana Airlines.
Malaysia Airlines ordered 35 Boeing
737-800 single-aisle planes in a deal
worth $2.6 billion. In addition, Air China
signed a deal for 15 Boeing 777 airplanes
and 30 737s worth $6.3 billion.
Airbus and Boeing have drawn up
their most fuel efficient designs but technological hurdles have had both struggling to deliver promised planes. The
A380 superjumbo is two years late and
until recently, was in the hands of just
one carrier—Singapore Airlines, which
last year became the first carrier in the
world to fly the superjumbo Airbus A380.
As we went to press, the airline
announced net profit for the first quarter
fell 15.4% compared to the same period
last year.
It was also announced as we went to
press that Airbus delivered its first
superjumbo jet to the booming Dubai-based airline Emirates, which is Airbus’
biggest A380 customer with 58 orders,
far ahead of Singapore Airlines’ order of
19 aircraft. German carrier Lufthansa
has ordered 15 of the planes.
