#FavoriteMoments above the clouds: Because we make aviation possible

The overwhelming feeling of being reunited at the arrival gate, the last view out of the aircraft window over the ocean or the sun setting over the clouds: special moments that are only possible because we can fly. And because we develop and manufacture key structural and safety components for virtually every aircraft in the world.

We have been active in aviation for over 100 years. More or less, we are also somehow part of the aviation pioneers – such as the famous Wright brothers, Claude Dornier or Count Zeppelin – for the latter, by the way, we manufactured valve cones made of rapid steel for airship construction as early as 1912. Böhler Brothers’ clavier wire was also successfully used in aeroplane construction. Today, the product range extends from high-performance materials, i.e. bars, profiles, billets, sheets and plates to almost ready-to-install special forgings that are used in aircraft fuselages, engines and landing gear. This makes us indispensable for the international aviation industry and a sought-after supplier.

• Structural parts (cutting-edge forgings)
  z. e.g. main load-bearing elements in the wing center box and other fuselage parts, for the tail section, i.e. parts for the rear of the aircraft
• Landing gear components (landing gear)
  made of high-alloy steels that can withstand the enormous impact loads during landing and easily absorb the resulting forces
• Engine disks
  from small helicopter engine disks to large-scale engine disks with a forged weight of over 350 kg
• Lower spars for the pylon
  The “lower spar” component is located in the pylon (engine nacelle), which connects the wing to the engine and must withstand enormous loads, especially during take-off and landing, as well as the enormous temperature differences between engine waste heat and ambient temperature.

Nothing has higher priority in aviation than the safety of passengers and crew. We ensure the safe mobility of millions of people in air traffic. Our heavy-duty components can withstand large temperature fluctuations as well as rotational forces and mechanical stress. They ensure safety, comfort and efficiency in modern aviation. In many cases, all production steps from melting to finishing are in our hands – this ensures the highest quality standards.

The passengers relax and settle back into their seats. Before the plane takes off, the seatbelt symbol appears and the buckles click collectively through Economy, Business and First Class. Hardly anyone thinks about the fact that the comfortable aircraft seating, which is now equipped with all kinds of multimedia features, is securely anchored to the cabin floor so that even at cruising altitude you can relax and sip your tomato juice without spilling anything. This is made possible by our seat rails made from high-quality profiles – the anchoring of the passenger seats in the cabin. Inconspicuous, but essential for comfort and safety on board. And because the weight of an aircraft is crucial for economic efficiency and sustainability, very lightweight materials such as titanium are used for this purpose.

Today, we are able to join titanium strips and extruded titanium profiles by laser welding and thus produce seat rails made of this material with a length of up to 10 meters. Our company in Shelbyville (Kentucky, USA) – voestalpine RFC Aerospace – is the only supplier in the world to have the appropriate certification for the process technology used in the manufacture of seat rails – because nothing works in aviation without such “approvals”!

Our employees in the High Performance Metals Division in Mumbai work closely with our aerospace team in the UK. Together, they are working on additional approvals for the aviation industry: We have already received AS9120 approval for our Indian company, which is necessary for suppliers who want to supply the aerospace industry. We are also working on further approvals for the supply of components to leading global engine manufacturers. Why? Because the Indian aerospace market is growing. In addition, many aviation companies are relocating their component production to the country between the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean for reasons of cost efficiency. It makes sense that we also want to share our expertise here!
Two other companies in the High Performance Metals Division play a key role in this global network: voestalpine eifeler Coating’s Eifel Coating Center in Schnaittach, Germany, is one of the few companies to offer PVD coatings for the aerospace industry in accordance with Nadcap and Rolls Royce SABRe requirements. Villares Metals, part of the voestalpine Specialty Metals Europe, is the only Brazilian plant authorized to supply special steels to Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A. (EMBRAER), which focuses on the manufacture of aircraft parts, and to ELEB Equipamentos LTDA, a renowned manufacturer of landing gear. This is important because these approvals ensure that crew and passengers can fly safely around the world.

In addition to propulsion and aerodynamics, the weight of a passenger or cargo aircraft is crucial for more efficient aircraft – and for flying more sustainably. Lightweight construction in the aviation industry therefore plays a decisive role in the performance of aircraft, but also in energy efficiency. We design aviation components so that they are as light as possible and yet highly resilient and not only rely on steel as a material, but also use titanium, as already mentioned.
We make the best possible use of the material used in order to increase resource efficiency. For airlines, lighter aircraft not only mean a higher payload, but also reduced CO₂ emissions due to lower fuel consumption. According to the German Aerospace Center, over 170 liters of kerosene or SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) can be saved on a short-haul aircraft with a cruising distance of 2,000 nautical miles if the take-off weight is reduced by one tonne. With 60,000 flight cycles over the course of an aircraft’s life, this amounts to over 10 million liters of fuel that can be saved. Our solutions therefore make air travel both ecologically and economically sustainable.

Our high-performance materials and sophisticated special forgings have become an integral part of the aircraft models of the world’s largest manufacturers. In May 2022, after intensive negotiations, voestalpine BÖHLER Aerospace secured a major order from MTU Aero Engines, one of the most important European engine manufacturers based in Munich. These forged engine disks form the solid core of an aircraft engine and are therefore highly critical parts. They are used in various types of aircraft, such as the Airbus A-320 neo, which is typically used for short to medium-haul flights. Our High Performance Metals Division has also been nominated for the Airbus Supplier Award 2024 – an honor that only a few suppliers receive.

In addition, voestalpine RFC Aerospace supplies components for the Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767, 777 and 787 programs – aircraft which are used worldwide in scheduled, long-haul and cargo flights – as well as important parts for business jets and tail rotors for helicopters. We therefore also help to ensure that components for helicopters or special aircraft are reliable and ready for use under the highest loads, e.g. for rescue missions, air rescue and disaster relief. The helicopters that rescue injured people or fly to remote areas to provide aid are also dependent on our aerospace solutions.

All our solutions, products, expertise and ambition enable sustainable, reliable mobility, not only on the ground but also in the air. We help to connect major cities and ensure that goods reach their destinations punctually and reliably by air freight. In this way, people around the world get what they need for their lives and work. Because we create the foundation for available and reliable flight connections, travelers can fly safely and relaxed, ideally without flight cancellations or delays.