AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON MARCH 31, 2003

                                                           REGISTRATION NO. 333-

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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                               HEXCEL CORPORATION
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

           DELAWARE                                              94-1109521
(State or Other Jurisdiction of                              (I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or Organization)                               Identification No.)

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                               TWO STAMFORD PLAZA
                              281 TRESSER BOULEVARD
                           STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT 06901
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

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                HEXCEL CORPORATION MANAGEMENT STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

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                              IRA J. KRAKOWER, ESQ.
              SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY
                               HEXCEL CORPORATION
                               TWO STAMFORD PLAZA
                              281 TRESSER BOULEVARD
                           STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT 06901
                                 (203) 969-0666
 (Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)


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                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



       Title of                                   Proposed Maximum       Proposed Maximum
   Securities to be          Amount to be          Offering Price            Aggregate              Amount of
      Registered            Registered(1)           Per Share(2)         Offering Price(2)      Registration Fee
------------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------
                                                                                           
Common Stock, par
value $0.01 per share           200,000                 $ 3.00               $ 600,000                 $ 49


(1)  This registration statement (this "Registration Statement") covers
     additional shares of Common Stock of Hexcel Corporation (the "Registrant")
     which may be offered or sold from time to time pursuant to the Hexcel
     Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan (as amended, the "Plan"). By
     virtue of an amendment to the Plan, the number of shares issuable
     thereunder was increased by 200,000 shares. Pursuant to Rule 416, this
     Registration Statement also covers such indeterminable number of additional
     shares of the Registrant's Common Stock as may be issuable pursuant to the
     antidilution provisions of the Plan.
(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The
     aggregate offering price has been computed pursuant to Rules 457(c) and
     457(h) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended on the
     basis of the average of the high and low sale prices of the Registrant's
     Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on
     March 26, 2003, within five business days prior to filing.



          The Registrant has previously registered an aggregate of 497,020
shares of its Common Stock, $0.01 par value, issuable under the Hexcel
Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan (as amended, the "Plan"). This
Registration Statement is being filed pursuant to General Instruction E to Form
S-8 to register an additional 200,000 shares issuable under the Plan. The
Registrant hereby incorporates by reference Registrant's previous Form S-8
Registration Statements (File Nos. 333-36099, 333-83747 and 333-46476) relating
to the Plan, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") on September 22, 1997, July 26, 1999 and September 22, 2000.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

      4.1      Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant dated
               June 3, 1996 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1 to
               the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated July 9,
               1996, Registration No. 1-08472).

      4.2      Certificate of Amendment of the Restated Certificate of
               Incorporation of the Registrant dated March 19, 2003
               (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the
               Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year
               ended December 31, 2002, filed on March 31, 2003).

      4.3      Amended and Restated By-laws of the Registrant dated March 19,
               2003 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the
               Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year
               ended December 31, 2002, filed on March 31, 2003).

      4.4      Hexcel Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan, as amended and
               restated on March 19, 2003 (incorporated herein by reference to
               Exhibit 10.6(e) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A
               for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, filed on March 31,
               2003).

      5.1      Opinion of Ira J. Krakower, General Counsel of Hexcel
               Corporation, regarding legality of Common Stock covered by this
               Registration Statement.

      23.1     Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

      23.2     Consent of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.

      23.3     Consent of Ira J. Krakower (included in Exhibit 5.1).

      24.1     Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this
               Registration Statement).

      99.1     Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-36099,
               relating to the Hexcel Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan
               (incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Form S-8
               Registration Statement, File No. 333-36099, dated July 26, 1999).

      99.2     Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-83747,
               relating to the Hexcel Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan
               (incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Form S-8
               Registration Statement, File No. 333-83747, dated July 26, 1999).



      99.3     Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-46476,
               relating to the Hexcel Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan
               (incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Form S-8
               Registration Statement, File No. 333-46476, dated July 26, 1999).

      99.4     Strategic Alliance Agreement dated as of September 29, 1995 among
               Hexcel Corporation, Ciba-Geigy Limited and Ciba-Geigy Corporation
               (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the
               Registrant's current report on Form 8-K dated as of October 13,
               1995).



                                   SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Stamford, State of Connecticut, on the 31st day of
March, 2003.

                                     HEXCEL CORPORATION
                                     (Registrant)


                                     By:  /s/ Ira J. Krakower
                                          ---------------------------------
                                          Ira J. Krakower
                                          Senior Vice President

          KNOWN TO ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose
signature appears below constitutes and appoints Ira J. Krakower, his
attorney-in-fact, with the power of substitution, for him in any and all
capacities, to sign any amendments to this registration statement (including
post-effective amendments), and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and
other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact, or
his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in all capacities and
on the dates indicated.



Signature                                   Title                                       Date
---------                                   -----                                       ----
                                                                                  
/s/ David E. Berges                         Chief Executive Officer; President;         March 31, 2003
-----------------------------               Director
David E. Berges


/s/ Stephen C. Forsyth                      Executive Vice President; Chief             March 31, 2003
-----------------------------               Financial Officer
Stephen C. Forsyth


/s/ William J. Fazio                        Controller; Principal Accounting            March 31, 2003
-----------------------------               Officer
William J. Fazio


/s/ Joel S. Beckman                         Director                                    March 31, 2003
-----------------------------
Joel S. Beckman


/s/ H. Arthur Bellows, Jr.                  Director                                    March 31, 2003
-----------------------------
H. Arthur Bellows, Jr.


/s/ James J. Gaffney                        Director                                    March 31, 2003
-----------------------------
James J. Gaffney


/s/ Sanjeev K. Mehra                        Director                                    March 31, 2003
-----------------------------
Sanjeev K. Mehra


/s/ Lewis Rubin                             Director                                    March 31, 2003
-----------------------------
Lewis Rubin


/s/ Robert J. Small                         Director                                    March 31, 2003
-----------------------------
Robert J. Small


/s/ Martin Solomon                          Director                                    March 31, 2003
-----------------------------
Martin Solomon




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT

4.1    Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant dated June 3,
       1996 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1 to the Registrant's
       Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated July 9, 1996, Registration No.
       1-08472).

4.2    Certificate of Amendment of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
       the Registrant dated March 19, 2003 (incorporated herein by reference to
       Exhibit 3.2 to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the
       fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, filed on March 31, 2003).

4.3    Amended and Restated By-laws of the Registrant dated March 19, 2003
       (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.3 to the Registrant's
       Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002,
       filed on March 31, 2003).

4.4    Hexcel Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan, as amended and
       restated on March 19, 2003 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit
       10.6(e) to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal
       year ended December 31, 2002, filed on March 31, 2003).

5.1    Opinion of Ira J. Krakower, General Counsel of Hexcel Corporation,
       regarding legality of Common Stock covered by this Registration
       Statement.

23.1   Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

23.2   Consent of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.

23.3   Consent of Ira J. Krakower (included in Exhibit 5.1).

24.1   Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this Registration
       Statement).

99.1   Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-36099, relating
       to the Hexcel Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated
       herein by reference to Registrant's Form S-8 Registration Statement, File
       No. 333-36099, dated July 26, 1999).

99.2   Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-83747, relating
       to the Hexcel Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated
       herein by reference to Registrant's Form S-8 Registration Statement, File
       No. 333-83747, dated July 26, 1999).

99.3   Registration Statement on Form S-8, Registration No. 333-46476, relating
       to the Hexcel Corporation Management Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated
       herein by reference to Registrant's Form S-8 Registration Statement, File
       No. 333-46476, dated July 26, 1999).

99.4   Strategic Alliance Agreement dated as of September 29, 1995 among Hexcel
       Corporation, Ciba-Geigy Limited and Ciba-Geigy Corporation (incorporated
       herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant's current report on
       Form 8-K dated as of October 13, 1995).