The number of people traveling by air increased massively from around 310.4 million in 1970 to 4.3 billion in 2019, as per the World Bank. This is credited to the rapid expansion of airlines in terms of their fleet size and the constant entry of new airlines around the world. With the sustained surge in the number of people and amount of freight being transported by air, aircraft fleets are growing rapidly.
The rotor-and-blade assembly of an aircraft engine has to be strong enough to suck air at high speeds and sustain the extreme heat generated from the fuel’s combustion. Therefore, conventional materials are being replaced by titanium, which is the strongest metal on earth and even stronger so considering its weight. Thus, titanium blisks not only make the engine sturdy but also the aircraft lighter, which helps increase the lift and reduce the consumption of fuel. As per the Air Transportation Action Group (ATAG), in 2019, 915 million tonnes of CO2 were emitted by flights, which has put the spotlight on reducing the fuel consumption.
Titanium blisks are used in the engines of aircraft flying for commercial, general aviation, and military purposes, as well as in those of model and experimental aircraft. Because of the explosion in the number of air passengers, the demand for these components has been the highest for commercial aircraft. Even though the civil aviation sector is witnessing a COVID-induced slump presently, it is expected to revive rapidly in the coming years. For instance, Airbus forecasts that by 2038, 39,200 new freighter and passenger aircraft will be required.
Similarly, Boeing’s global fleet expansion forecast till 2039 stands at 43,110 aircraft additions. Hinting at similarly positive signs for the civil aviation sector post these dark times, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says that air traffic (in terms of the number of passengers) will reach almost 52% of the pre-COVID level by the end of 2021 and 82% by the end of 2022, ultimately surpassing this number in 2023. All these statistics reflect a massive impending demand for titanium blisks from aerospace companies, majorly those based in North America and Europe.
North America is already the largest aerospace titanium blisk market as it is home to Boeing, the largest aerospace company in the world. It provides aircraft not just for commercial purposes, but to the military as well. Apart from regular airlines, a lot of chartered airlines and private jets operate in the region as it is home to many high-net-worth individuals. Apart from North America, the demand for such components is also rising sharply in Asia-Pacific (APAC) due to the establishment of domestic aerospace companies in the region.
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