Editor's comment: Where wonders never cease

Any new company looking to break into the aerospace manufacturing supply chain always wants to hit the ground running.

But like an energetic rookie pilot on their first mission, there’s so much to comprehend in terms of the sheer size and scope of a competitive and vibrant industry that in terms of design and manufacturing technology, knows no bounds. It truly is a world of wonder!

The latest additive manufacturing technologies, composite aerostructures, increasing integration of embedded electronics and burgeoning zero carbon initiatives means technology breakthroughs happen nearly as regularly as flights in and out of our busiest airports. It continues to demonstrate that the industry is a hotbed for continually evolving innovative product designs, full of creative people thinking not only of the here and now, but of the aircraft of tomorrow.

New entrants to the sector will be amazed how one of the most dynamic growth areas in the aerospace domain - the emergence of the advanced air mobility (AAM) market in the form of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) commercial air taxi – continues apace. Whilst early aviators demonstrated that man could fly in an aeroplane, a century later we’re facing a future where aircraft will fly themselves.

And they’ll be impressed by the way the industry strives to preserve something it’s worked so hard to create, namely the aerospace supply chain. Faced with a turbulent post-pandemic economy, tier suppliers are pulling the stops out by pulling together in the same direction.

In a bid to maintain continuous improvement programmes, aerospace organisations and clusters are helping provide the glue to consolidate the long-term future of the industry. Simply put, it’s a way of doing what we all already do but in a more joined up way - and long may it continue.