The characteristics of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP), which are being widely utilized in the aircraft industry as well as other fields, are reviewed, and challenges associated with their increasing application are discussed. The greatest feature of CFRP is that they can be tailor-made by arranging only the necessary amount of carbon fibers in the required directions. The material possesses unique characteristics, including heterogeneity, anisotropy, and a laminated structure, which must be taken into account in each stage of the design and manufacturing processes, including component design, molding, and machining. In particular, the machining stage requires a deeper understanding of the mechanisms involved, and it is hoped that further research and development will take place in this area.