AERNNOVA AEROESTRUCTURAS ALAVA SA

Their core work

Aernnova is a major Spanish aerostructures manufacturer that designs and produces structural components for commercial and military aircraft, including fuselages, wings, and empennage assemblies. Within H2020, they contribute as a third-party specialist to Clean Sky 2 and large-scale aviation demonstration projects, supplying expertise in airframe design, advanced wing structures, and fuselage manufacturing. Their work focuses on making large passenger aircraft more efficient, lighter, and environmentally sustainable through improved structural engineering and integration of new propulsion concepts.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

The early H2020 projects (2014–2019) focused on general airframe and large passenger aircraft work with no specific keyword detail, suggesting broad structural manufacturing contributions. The more recent projects (2020–2024) show a clear shift toward specific advanced technologies: HLFC, multifunctional fuselages, eco-design, and propulsion integration. This evolution reflects the wider aviation industry's push toward greener, more efficient aircraft where structural design plays a central enabling role.

Aernnova is moving from conventional aerostructure supply toward active R&D in sustainable aviation technologies — particularly HLFC wings, multifunctional fuselages, and structures adapted for new propulsion systems.

How they like to work

Aernnova participates exclusively as a third party in H2020, meaning they are linked to a core beneficiary (likely a parent entity or prime contractor) rather than joining consortia directly. Despite this indirect role, their projects connect them to 144 unique partners across 16 countries, reflecting the massive scale of Clean Sky 2 consortia. This tells potential collaborators that Aernnova operates as a specialized industrial contributor brought in for hands-on manufacturing and design expertise rather than project management.

Through their Clean Sky 2 involvement, Aernnova is connected to 144 consortium partners across 16 countries, giving them exposure to the core European aviation supply chain. However, as a third party, these are inherited network connections rather than direct partnership choices.

What sets them apart

Aernnova is one of the few Tier 1 independent aerostructure manufacturers in Europe, operating outside the Airbus corporate structure but deeply embedded in its supply chain. Their Clean Sky 2 involvement demonstrates they are trusted with demonstrator-level structural work — not just series production — which positions them as a bridge between research concepts and industrial-scale manufacturing. For consortium builders, they offer something rare: a large private company with real production capacity that is also engaged in pre-competitive R&D.

Highlights from their portfolio

• GAM-2020-LPA
  Large Passenger Aircraft demonstrator covering HLFC, multifunctional fuselage, wing design, and propulsion integration — the most technically ambitious of their portfolio.
• GAM-2020-AIR
  Airframe ITD project with explicit eco-design and energy efficiency focus, signaling Aernnova's commitment to sustainable aviation structures.