For decades, aviation has been under particular scrutiny when it comes to emissions and resource use. At the same time, it began early on to systematically implement the principles of the circular economy. The webinar, hosted in english by the Société Française de Métallurgie et de Matériaux (SF2M), will take place on Tuesday, 04 November 2025, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will offer a compact insight into current strategies and research approaches on the topic of “Circular economy in the aviation sector.” 

The event will focus on fundamental questions of life cycle management: How long can an aircraft be used? Why is it taken out of service? What opportunities are there for a “second life”? And how can the ecological footprint be further reduced before and after the operational phase? 

Approximately 95% of an aircraft's environmental impact occurs during flight operations – primarily through the combustion of kerosene. Nevertheless, the other phases are increasingly coming into focus. Strict maintenance programs significantly extend the service life of structures, engines, and avionics systems. At the same time, components at the end of their service life are increasingly being reused, recycled, or recovered. This reduces the need for primary raw materials and helps minimize waste streams. 

The content of the webinar will be provided by Dr. Stefan Drawin, a physicist at the French aerospace research center ONERA. Since 1990, he has been conducting research into high-temperature materials for aerospace and turbine applications and has coordinated several European projects on alloy development, manufacturing, and characterization. In recent years, his focus has increasingly been on establishing circular value chains in aviation – both at ONERA and within the EREA, the European Association of Research Establishments in Aeronautics.

Interested parties can register for the webinar now. Participation is possible after prior registration; the access link will be sent to registered participants on the day of the event.