The aerospace industry continues suffering notable supply chain troubles even as executives at Farnborough insist their companies are making progress, with some aiming to straighten out by year-end.
“There are some hiccups along the way,” Airbus head of industrial supply chain and digital operations Delphine Bazaud said on 23 July.
Still, she insists Airbus is on the right track, saying, “We are ramping up. We will be ramping up in the future… We need to do it to meet [customers] expectations.”
Bazaud’s comments come a month after Airbus pushed back its plan to produce 75 A320neos from 2026 to 2027.
Boeing vice-president of global supply chain and fabrication Ihssane Mounir calls his company’s recent production slowdown “an opportunity… to put the fundamentals in place” ahead of production ramps.
“The ramp up is going to be significant for all OEMs as we move forward… We have to be ready for it to avoid disappointing our customers,” he says.
Boeing aims to return to a 38-monthly 737 production rate this year.
Also speaking at Farnborough, EY aerospace and consulting leader Raman Ramanathan says the supply chain’s recovery has been slowed because airlines are flying jets longer than previously planned. Those older aircraft offer suffer unexpected component failures, bumping up replacement-part demand.
“The confluence of things exacerbated the problem,” says Ramanathan.
Additionally, new-generation engines – specifically Pratt & Whitney PW1100Gs and CFM International Leaps – have suffered unexpected durability issues. P&W has also recalled more than 1,000 PW1100Gs due to metallic-component problems. Such issues also threw a wrench in the recovery.
In years past, supply chain troubles tended to be limited to specific components, such as ball bearings, or to specific industry sectors, such as computer chips, adds Ramanathan. “Now, it’s whac-a-mole… It’s hard to get ahead.”
He says advanced data technologies (including machine learning) and improved communication between partners can help suppliers address the issues.
Reflecting the nagging nature of the problem, GE Aerospace on 23 July reported that its joint CFM International business with Safran Aircraft Engines delivered 297 Leap turbofans in the second quarter, down 29% year on year.
“We are making some progress, but not enough to meet demand,” Culp tells investors, predicting the company will reach a “healthier, more-stable, higher” production rate by year-end.
