TISICS landing gear sparks shift in aviation lightweighting

Metal-matrix composite Light Land gear. Photo Credit: TISICS TISICS (Farnborough, U.K.), a company pioneering ceramic fiber-reinforced metal composite materials, is making strides in the commercial aviation sector by unveiling Light Land, the company’s lightweight landing gear for commercial aircraft. The innovation will reportedly deliver CO 2 savings by 2030, as well as demonstrate improved fuel efficiency, helping to propel the aerospace industry toward its goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Currently, 50% of an aircraft is comprised of metal component. TISICS’ sustainable lightweight and high-strength hybrid alternative, developed as part of a project backed by £2.5 million in research and development (R&D) funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Innovate UK, in collaboration with Safran Landing Systems (Vélizy-Villacoublay, France), is said to be the world’s largest fiber-reinforced metal composite component for commercial aircraft. TISICS’ titanium and aluminum composites, reinforced with the company’s continuous silicon carbide (SiC) mono-filaments, are manufactured in the U.K., offering a weight reduction of 30-70% for high-performance systems, while leveraging their strength, mass, corrosion resistance, and temperature properties. Surpassing the strength and stiffness of titanium at a 40% lower density and outperforming high-strength steel, TISICS’ says its hybrid materials double the specific stiffness of common engineering metals. The adoption of Light Land is projected to save airlines £650,000 in fuel costs per year, per aircraft, making them 13% more cost-effective compared to their titanium counterparts. Moreover, wide-body aircraft fleets using TISICS composites will contribute to a yearly CO 2 emission reduction of 9.6 million tonnes. TISICS believes its lightweight landing gear offers a compelling solution to reduce emissions and increase operational efficiency starting in 2028 and, eventually, expand across multiple aircraft systems, including ultra-efficient wings, engines and next-generation airframes. “We’re excited to showcase the potential of Light Land for the U.K.’s aerospace industry,” Stephen Kyle-Henney, CEO of TISICS, says. “TISICS’ future products will lead to increased competitiveness for U.K. aero-manufacturers, securing a first-mover advantage in high-value markets. This will create a domestic supply chain, reshoring previously imported products and generating over 240 highly skilled jobs in the U.K. within the next 5 years.”

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