The Real Reason Why Aircraft Recyclers Dread The Retirement Of The Airbus A350 & Boeing 787

CFRP, short for carbon fiber reinforced polymer, has become the new standard for commercial aircraft construction. Lighter and stronger than traditional aircraft aluminum alloys, manufacturers have increasingly been incorporating the material, also known as composites. By weight, the Boeing 777 is 8% composites, while the Airbus A320 is 10% and the A380 is 25%. Meanwhile, the 787 Dreamliner and A350 XWB are majority composite by weight and over 80% composite by construction.