GKN Aerospace has delivered a pair of thermoplastic composite, induction welded ruddervators, and two compression-moulded access panels manufactured from re-used thermoplastic waste material to Bell Helicopter, a Textron company. As partner on Bell’s Team Valor, GKN has designed and manufactured the complete thermoset composite V-Tail for Bell V-280 Valor.

Ruddervators are the control surfaces for an aircraft with a V-tail configuration. The ruddervators and access panels are technology demonstrators and are planned for flight testing on the aircraft in 2019. This will make the V-280 one of the first military aircraft flying with thermoplastic components, said GKN Aerospace in a press release.

Injection of the thermoplastics composite technology on a military platform opens opportunities for wider application in the defence market. Thermoplastics offer significant advantages in terms of weight, costs, production time and environmental impact.

The two compression-moulded access panels have been manufactured from recycled thermoplastic waste material from the two ruddervators and have been developed in a Dutch TPC-Cycle research programme led by Saxion. GKN Aerospace is a partner in the research programme.

In parallel to the demonstrator programme, the GKN Aerospace global design team will support Bell with further design optimisation of the V-Tail.

“We are proud to be part of Team Valor and to be selected for the design of the V tail. It is very exciting that our cutting edge thermoplastic technology will be flight tested for the first time on the state-of-the-art V-280 Valor,’’ said John Pritchard, CEO GKN Aerospace ASEA.

GKN Aerospace is a technology leader in thermoplastic technology with thermoplastic rudders, elevators and fuselage panels flying on a wide range of business jets. (PC)