The new Airbus A400M features ice protection plates produced from TenCate Cetex glass PPS semipreg. TenCate Advanced Composites in Nijverdal (NL) supplies this thermoplastic composite material for a wide range of structural and semi-structural aircraft components.

 

Fokker Aerostructures (Hoogeveen, NL) processes the material into finished panels. The panels protect sides of the fuselage alongside the propeller tips from damage caused by chunks of ice which, under certain weather conditions, are flung from the propellers of  the military transport aircraft. 

 

TenCate Cetex semipreg material was selected because it provides excellent impact resistance and also a very good chemical resistance (de-icing and hydraulic / decontamination fluids). It is also used on the fixed wing leading edges of the Airbus A380.