Hybrid materials and forms of construction are key technologies today. The upper part of the fuselage of an Airbus A380 consists of glass-fibre-reinforced aluminium (GLARE), for example. This laminated composite material is made up of a series of thin layers of aluminium and glass-fibre-reinforced synthetic. The advantages of the respective materials improve the impact- and flame-resistant behaviour of the fuselage. Above all, though, the GRP that is incorporated reduces the speed with which cracks spread. (Volker Schmid)