CTO Straight Talk - Issue 4 - 37

In fact, sustainability is at the core

and altitude. Furthermore, given the

of our innovation activities, ensuring

long lead time in aircraft development,

that we continue to optimize the size,

we must try to predict what products

weight and environmental impact

we need to build today to support and

of all our solutions and contribute

secure the aircraft of tomorrow. And

responsibly to the future of sustainable

we must do it all in as cost-effective a

aviation. For example, we use

manner as possible. To guide ourselves

innovative advanced composites

in these efforts, we've adopted a

to reduce weight and increase

proprietary production framework that

durability. We employ additive layer

we apply to all of our operations, from

manufacturing for thermal solutions,

the boardroom to the shop ﬂoor. We

enabling us to create unique designs

are also taking advantage of rapidly

capable of ﬁtting the smallest available

advancing manufacturing technology,

space envelope while delivering

from 3D printing to " IoT " (Internet

optimum performance. From optical

of Things) sensors, to increase

sensing to battery solutions, we are

productivity and quality.

constantly looking at ways to reduce
aviation's environmental footprint and
make ﬂying safer for all.
Most of the time our technology
goes unnoticed by our customers,
which include the U.S. Department of
Defense, Airbus, Boeing, and Lockheed
Martin. However, it has a signiﬁcant
impact-protecting not only those
who ﬂy on commercial airlines, but
those who rely on the 22,000 military
aircraft that use our systems. Recently,
a U.S. military plane was able to ﬂy
safely home from the Middle East
despite 22 bullet holes, thanks to our

SOLVING
TOMORROW'S
PROBLEMS TODAY
We are always designing for the future.
Many of the pilots who will ﬂy the
aircraft we are building systems for
have not been born yet. We have to
understand the technology problems
our customers will face two or three
decades from now and determine how
they can apply technology in ways that
will work today and still be
competitive in 20 years.

blast-resistant fuel tanks. Meggitt's
fuel bladders are manufactured from a
highly engineered, layered composite
fabric, handmade and customized for
each aircraft. If hit by a bullet, they
rapidly self-seal, encasing holes in a
rubber gel, suppressing the ignition
source and stopping leakage.
Simply put, we provide smart solutions
for extreme environments-and that

" It's impossible to get the
future precisely right, but
with teamwork we are able
to move conﬁdently in the
right direction. "

creates some singular and signiﬁcant
challenges. We have to engineer these
components so that they perform
optimally in extremes of temperature

37
CTO Straight Talk - Issue 4

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CTO Straight Talk - Issue 4
