technology new engine - aviation international news

34aaAviation International News • January 2006 • www.ainonline.com

Technologynew engine

by Thierry Dubois

Demand for lower fuel con-sumption, more power and im-proved reliability keeps enginemanufacturers constantly renew-ing their market offerings. Simul-taneously, the growing numberof aircraft models on the market,due to both the emergence ofthe very light jet (VLJ) segmentand the numerous derivative de-signs aircraft makers are market-ing, demands an ever expandingrange of engines.

In its business aviation outlook,Honeywell Aerospace forecast de-liveries of as many as 745 newbusiness jets last year, up from

589 in 2004. This year deliveriesare expected to exceed 800 forthe first time in industry history. Ofcourse, that translates into recordnumbers of engine deliveries, too.

Williams, for example, told AINit delivered “more than 300 gen-eral aviation turbofans” last yearand plans to deliver “more than400” this year. Rolls-Royce alsodelivered high numbers of corpo-rate aircraft engines, with 133BR710s (for the Bombardier Glob-als and Gulfstream G500 series)and 56 Tay 611-8Cs (for the Gulf-stream G350/450). GE delivered76 CF34-3B engines for the Chal-lenger 604 last year and expectsto deliver the same number boththis year and next.

P&WC, which did not separateengine deliveries by category,

told AIN that it delivered “morethan 2,000 engines” last year.This year, it plans to double post-9/11 production–a low of1,200 engines.

In the helicopter segmentalone, Rolls-Royce delivered 334Model 250s last year and plansto deliver 400 this year. Tur-bomeca told AIN that it expectsto deliver 930 helicopter enginesthis year, up from 650 last year,when it delivered approximately80 Makilas, 140 Arriuses and 430Arriels. “However, those figuresinclude some military applica-tions for our civil engines,” saidCharles Claveau, Turbomeca’sdirector of helicopter engine pro-grams. After deliveries of 40 CT7turboshafts last year, GE is plan-ning 42 for this year.

Predictions for the Near TermWhat about market trends?

“The helicopter market is gener-ally in good shape. The market forcivil helicopters remains steadyand may benefit from additionalparapublic orders as a result of itshigh-profile roles in recent disas-ter-recovery operations; the highprice of oil is also driving offshoredemand,” according to Rolls-Royce. GE’s Harry Nahatis, direc-tor of turboshaft engine sales,agreed. “High oil prices are en-couraging exploration by oil com-panies,” he pointed out.

Turbomeca’s Claveau sees themarket growing until 2008 or 2009.“We expect this year’s orders toequal those of last year. However,our increasing delivery numbersare due to the market shares weearned, more than overall marketgrowth,” he said. He added thatthe demand is strong in emer-gency medical services and that“India and China have huge

needs.” Generally speaking, “thehelicopter industry wants to bringits safety record up to that of the airlines, which implies somerenewal of the world fleet ofrotorcraft,” he said.

Rolls-Royce put a figure on itspredictions for the helicopter

market over the next three years:“A flat but steady market, with 1percent growth per year or so.”Competitor P&WC is experienc-ing “a considerable upturn” in itshelicopter business, which hasbeen “very strong” this year andis predicted to continue at thisrate of growth.

For all three engine categories–turbofan, turboprop and turboshaft–P&WC executives see an interna-tional market that is “buoyantagain.” They note, “Most of ourcustomers have healthy orderbacklogs, so the market shouldshow solid growth for at least thenext few years. Beyond that, who

can say; it is a cyclic industry de-pending heavily on corporate prof-its and overall economic growth.”

Nonetheless, with its PW600turbofan line powering three of thein-development VLJs–the CessnaCitation Mustang, the Eclipse 500and the Embraer Phenom 100–

P&WC is looking forward to “rapidcontinued growth.” The PW600will enter production early this year.

According to Newtown, Conn.-based Forecast International, “Pratt& Whitney will be the major bene-factor of [the new VLJ] class ofaircraft by providing its PW600series turbofan.” The market re-search firm sees that category ofengines stimulating the turbofanengine market.

“These engines, lumped intothe 0- to 70-seat aircraft segment,will see a 50-percent increase inproduction during the forecast pe-riod–from 1,997 in 2005 to 3,110in 2014,” said Aero Gas Turbine

New aircraft designsboost engine demand

GE CF34-3A-3B

P&WC PW615

Engine manufacturers are readyto benefit from the hot marketfor new business aircraft andhelicopters in the comingdecades. In addition toestablished manufacturers–General Electric, Honeywell,Pratt & Whitney Canada,Rolls-Royce, Turbomeca andWilliams–several new OEMs will be introducing their ownmodels to the market.

THE MARKET

Analyst Will Alibrandi, author of alate-2004 study.

Charles Blankenship, generalmanager of GE’s small commer-cial engine operation, sees “asteady to improving market vol-ume due to the expectation ofcontinued strong corporate per-formance.”

In stark contrast to the picturea decade ago, turboprops are fac-

ing tough competition from smallturbofans and even, at the lowerend of the spectrum, from dieselengines. However, according toForecast International, “As the re-quirement for larger turboprop en-gines grows, we can look forwardto manufacturers adapting otherdesigns, particularly turbofans, forturboprop variants.” Forecast In-ternational predicts that duringthe 2004 to 2013 time period, themarket for turboprop engines willremain strong, with production of9,538 engines worth $7.8 billion.

New Market EntrantsSo business aviation is thriv-

ing, helicopters are enjoying ahealthy market and the choice ofengines available to aircraft man-ufacturers has increased signifi-cantly. In the last decade, P&WCalone has developed some 45engines. However, in a strikingdifference from the aircraft manu-facturing industry, the number ofnew entrants in the engine field ismuch lower. Excluding the estab-lished OEMs, there are only twoother companies making engines.

In 2004 GE and Honda estab-lished their joint venture, GEHonda Aero Engines, to developand market the HF118 in the1,700-pound thrust class. TheHF118 engine has recently bene-fited from several technical im-provements (see turbofan storypage 38) to make the engine at-tractive to VLJ manufacturers.Although the engine lost toP&WC in the contest to powerEmbraer’s new small jets, GEand Honda are continuing theircooperative effort. The 50/50

joint venture foresees annualsales of at least 200 VLJs.

In France, start-up companyPrice Induction is striving toground-test its first 560-pound-thrust turbofan, the DGEN 380, ina few weeks (see turbofan storypage 38). The 12-employee enter-prise is aiming to enable the cre-ation of a new class of lightaircraft–in short, a Cirrus with tur-

bofans. “P&WC’s PW600 line ismade for small business jets,whereas our engine will fit en-hanced general aviation airplanes,”Bernard Etcheparre, the com-pany’s founder and CEO, told AIN.

Less capable than the Eclipse500, Adam A700 and so on, sucha light aircraft would also be lessexpensive. The DGEN 380 will besuited for a 250-knot cruise speedand a 12,000-foot cruise altitude.“Instead of $200 to $250 millionfor a current VLJ, the aircraft’scost of development would be inthe $30 to $35 million range,”Etcheparre predicted. That wouldyield a $650,000 to $700,000price for the finished airplane. Theengine will sell for $106,000.

Etcheparre believes pilots up-grading from piston singles toDGEN-powered jets would find a speed advantage without theneed for a dramatic advance inflying technique.

But Price Induction is pursuingmore than just the owner-flownaircraft market. “The air-taxi con-cept, if successful, will be betteraddressed by the kind of aircraftwe are working on than other, big-ger ones,” Etcheparre asserted.

Have any aircraft manufactur-ers ordered DGEN engines?“Several are interested in it anddid come to our design offices in Anglet, in the southwest ofFrance, and all said, ‘Run yourengine first!’” Etcheparre said.

Agilis Engines, once a con-tender in the small turbofan mar-ket, failed to find an applicationfor its TF1000 engine line afterthe original Safire S-26 projectwas shelved in 2002. o

www.ainonline.com • January 2006 • Aviation International Newsaa35

Helicopter operators’ continu-ous demand for more power, bet-ter reliability and lower costs isspurring an infusion of new tech-nology in turboshaft engines. Allthe manufacturers–General Elec-tric (GE), Honeywell, Pratt & Whit-ney Canada (P&WC), Rolls-Royceand Turbomeca–are developingnew models or conducting pre-liminary work to be ready as soonas the market requires a new en-gine. In fact, the turboshaft ap-pears to be evolving faster thaneither the turboprop or turbofan.

French-based Turbomeca, thelargest producer of civil helicopterturboshaft engines, sees a newtrend in customer demand. “Forthree or four years, helicoptermanufacturers have been askingfor economy and reliability ratherthan lightness and performance,”Charles Claveau, director for heli-copter engine programs, told AIN.

The result of this shift in em-phasis is increased operating mar-gins; in other words, the engineoperates farther from its limits. Inaddition, the engines are morereliable and less fuel-thirsty, whilecomponent durability improves.As a result, “you can lose a bit ofperformance,” Claveau explained.

For example, the preliminarydesign of the Arriel 3 (Turbomecahas not yet fully launched theprogram) makes it a more power-ful model in the Arriel line, whichcurrently spans 640 to 944 shp.“But the priority is to cut directmaintenance costs, acquisitioncost and specific fuel consump-tion [sfc],” Claveau emphasized.Sfc can be addressed by enhanc-ing the aerodynamics of com-pressor and turbine components.

To prolong life and meantime between overhauls, thecompany is increasing the en-gine’s margins and is using newmaterials. It has modified mag-nesium alloys slightly, allowingthem to be incorporated in theengine’s casing. “Magnesium ismuch lighter than aluminum, butthe challenge is in the corro-sion-proofing coating,” Claveaupointed out. Companies alsofavor titanium because it canwithstand higher temperatures.

Digital engine control, whichTurbomeca envisions for the Ar-riel 3, can improve reliability andlighten the maintenance burden.However, the design of a single-channel digitally controlled enginemust address the possibility of fail-ure of the digital control. On sucha turboshaft, the hydromechanicalunit therefore has to be able toperform most of the control tasks.

A dual-channel full-authoritydigital engine control (FADEC),however, can be less complicatedbecause the second channel is in-dependent of the first one. As aresult, the dual-channel FADEChas an almost zero chance of fail-ing completely. “A dual-channelFADEC can be much simpler,”Claveau said. Improvedmaintenance comesthrough including ahealth and usage mon-itoring system (HUMS)in the FADEC.

Turbomeca is alsoconsidering offering anArrius 3, a smaller ver-sion of the existing Ar-rius. It would suit morepowerful evolutions ofsuch light singles asthe Bell 206 and Euro-copter EC 120 andlight twins such as theEurocopter EC 135and Agusta A109. “Wehave quite preciseideas on what an Ar-rius 3 can be, but themarket is not askingfor it now,” Claveaunoted. The Arrius se-ries currently spans 479to 716 shp.

Meanwhile, the company’shigh-altitude Ardiden gas turbinemade its first run last October.First flight is planned for July, withEASA certification due in Decem-ber. The Ardiden was designed toprovide the hot-and-high perform-ance qualities required by new-generation medium twins such asthe AB139, Ka-62 and EC 175.However, it will be installed firston the twin-engine Dhruv, devel-oped by Hindustan Aeronauticsin India (where it is known as theShakti), mainly for military applica-

tions. In this role it is expected toimprove power margins by 10 per-cent over the current TM333-2B2s.

Clean-sheet Designfrom P&WC

P&WC is studying a new1,000-shp-class engine, dubbedthe PW210S, for the 13,000-pound-class Sikorsky S-76D. Atlast year’s HAI Convention, JohnSaabas, P&WC engineering vicepresident, announced that thecompany is “starting with abrand-new sheet of paper.” Heexplained that the PW210S drawson technologies and materialsproven in both the PW200 tur-boshaft line and the emergingPW600 series, of which thePW615F for the Eclipse 500 is the first production engine.

The PW210S will have ahigher pressure ratio compres-sor–similar in design to that in thePW615F–and a higher-speed tur-bine with improved disc materialprovided by P&WC’s Connecti-

cut-based parent. P&WC claimsthe PW210S will produce 10 to20 percent more power thanexisting engines in that class butwill consume less fuel, thanks to a dramatic improvement inpower-to-weight ratio. The pro-gram is said to be progressing ontarget for certification in 2008.

The PW600 program blueprintalso includes a turboshaft enginein the 600- to 1,000-shp spectrum.“We’re still looking at a PW600turboshaft for helicopters in the3,000- to 4,000-pound [mtow]

Engine manufacturers bring new technologyto helicopter market

Price Induction DGEN 380

Continued on next page

TURBOSHAFTS

Rolls-Royce Model 250

range, but not in the short term. It’sa definite possibility down the line,though,” P&WC president AlainBellemare stated in 2003. P&WC’sother line of current helicopter en-gines, the PT6B and PT6C, offersbetween 1,000 and 2,300 shp.

GE Focuses onVariants of Current Engines

GE is studying a 3,000-shpgrowth version of the CT7-8,which is in the 2,600-shp class.“We see the market going to morehot-and-high capability and more

range,” Harry Nahatis, director ofturboshaft engine sales, told AIN.

GE engineers are working ona new three-stage power turbine(in lieu of two stages in the cur-rent engine). Further enhancedmaterials in the turbine will en-able the use of less cooling air,which is bled from the compres-sor and therefore affects its effi-ciency. “Sfc will be reduced,”Nahatis added.

No time frame has been setyet for entry into service. “It willbe dictated by the market,” Na-hatis said. The engine will stillhold the CT7-8 designation.

The CT7-8A received FAA cer-tification last year. Compared withthe earlier -2 and -6 variants, itfeatures 3-D aerodynamics in thecompressor for higher efficiencyand stall margin, improved turbinematerial for increased power-to-weight ratio and an advancedinlet particle separator.

“It is an active separator thatuses a blower; it is thus very ef-fective even at idle,” Nahatis em-phasized. It is therefore usefulduring taxi and hover. A dual-chan-nel FADEC provides, among otherfunctions, start management,overspeed protection, automatedpower assurance and HUMS.

Upgrading the Model 250

Rolls-Royce seems to havepostponed its replacement plansfor the 250. Three years ago, acompany executive was talkingabout launching a 550- to 950-shp engine in 2005. However, thecompany now says it “continuesto define the technical and mar-ket requirements for next-genera-tion powerplants.” Such enginescould include technologies understudy such as more electric en-gine aspects and advanced cool-ing methods.

The company is also evaluatinghigh-temperature engine compo-nents, including ceramic partsand next-generation single-crys-tal blades. Rolls-Royce is alsoconsidering variable-cycle power-plants for compound helicopters.

On the current 250, recenttechnology introductions includean enhanced power turbine forthe Series II. It provides a 3- to 5-percent increase in power and a1- to 2-percent reduction in sfc,Rolls-Royce claims. The “R plus”upgrade for the 250-C20R has a

new vaned diffuser, shroud hous-ing and bleed valve assembly, in-creasing mid-range power by 2 to3 percent and reducing sfc by ap-proximately 1 percent.

According to the company,new inlet barrier filters combine

performance improvements withoperating cost reductions. “Wecontinue to study growth deriva-tives of the Model 250 in re-sponse to market interest,” aRolls-Royce executive told AIN.

Honeywell Offers DerivativesHoneywell is also renewing

its product offerings. For exam-ple, the LTS101-700 and -850are replacing the -600 and -750,respectively. The LTS101-700D-2 received its STC certificationlast October for the EurocopterAS 350B2.

Design changes include an ef-fusion-cooled nozzle in the gasproducer section of the engine.Aerodynamics have been im-proved, too. A new cooling sys-tem has extended the gasproducer turbine’s disc life from6,300 to 15,000 cycles.

The LTS101-700D2 offersnearly 13 percent more takeoffpower at ISA conditions than anLTS101-600A3A. In addition, thenewer engine has better perform-

ance retention when the ambientair temperature gets high. AtISA+43 degrees C., takeoff poweris 21 percent better, at 533 shp.

Honeywell has been groundtesting the HTS900, selected forthe Bell 407, since late 2004. The

engine was scheduled to fly lastyear. Full integration of the HTS900into the Bell 407 is scheduled forlate this year.

The HTS900 uses the samesystem architecture as the earlierLTS101, but it incorporates newcompressor technology for im-proved performance. In Februarylast year, Bob Miller, head ofHoneywell’s light utility helicopterengines unit, said the HTS900will burn 3 to 6 percent less fuelthan any of its earlier engineswhile generating 42 percentmore power at ISA+5 degrees C.Honeywell did not respond.

Fitted with a dual-channel

FADEC, the HTS900 will provide928 shp at takeoff on a twin; the30-second OEI rating is 995shp. The engine will come inboth a 6,137-rpm version and a9,598-rpm version for either sin-gle- or twin-engine applications.Miller said the low-speed modelwould come first, with certifica-tion scheduled for the secondquarter of this year.

The compressor and turbineare designed to have a 15,000-cycle and a 25,000-cycle servicelife, respectively. Honeywell tar-gets time between overhaul at3,000 hours. Miller expects thatnumber to increase to 5,000hours once the product matures.

At the conceptual stage is theHTS800, a smaller derivative of theHTS900. Also available in singleand twin ratings, it could deliver807 shp on a twin. The 30-secondOEI rating would be 870 shp. Hon-eywell claims the engine wouldoffer improved performance reten-tion in hot conditions comparedwith current-generation engines.

Honeywell did not respond torequests for information about theHTS1000. Its power is not definedyet, but its designation suggeststhat it would be rated at close to1,000 shp. An application could beBell’s modular affordable productline. The HTS1000 will benefitfrom the small heavy fuel enginemilitary technology program.–T.D.



Continued from preceding page

GE CT7-6

Honeywell LTS101

Engines Thrust or thrust range Applications (as of Dec.1, 2005)General Electric (GE)CT7-6/6A 2,000 shp EH Industries EH-101CT7-8 2,520 shp Sikorsky S-92

HoneywellHoneywellLTS101 615-675 shp Eurocopter BK 117A, AS 350, Bell 222HTS800 807 shp NoneHTS900 928 shp Bell 407XHTS1000 1,000 shp None

Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC)PT6B 900-1,000 shp Agusta A119 Koala, Sikorsky S-76BPT6C 1,600-2,300 hp Agusta Bell AB139, Bell Agusta

BA609 TiltrotorPT6T-3D 1,800 shp Bell 412EPPW206/207 430-710 shp Agusta A109E Power, Bell 427, 429, Ansat

Kazan, MD Explorer, Eurocopter EC 135PW210S 1,000 shp Sikorsky S-76D

Rolls-RoyceModel 250 420-808 shp MD 500E, MD 530F, MD 520N, MD 600N,

Bell 206B-3 JetRanger III, Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV, Bell 430, Bell 407, Kamov Ka-226, PZL SW-4, Enstrom 480B, Schweizer 333

TurbomécaArdiden 1,200 shp HAL DhruvArriel 640-944 shp Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil, AS 365

Dauphin, BK 117-C1, EC 130, EC 145, EC 155, Agusta A109 K2, Sikorsky S-76A++/C/C+/C++

Arrius 479-716 shp Agusta A109 Power, Eurocopter AS 355 Makila 2,100 shp Eurocopter AS 332 Super Puma, EC 225

Ecureuil, EC 135, EC 120 Colibri, Kamov Ka-226

RTM322 2,263 shp EH Industries EH-101

Turbomeca Arriel 2

TURBOSHAFTS

TURBOSHAFTS


Only three engine manufac-turers are active in turbopropbusiness airplanes, and few newdevelopments can be expectedin this category. The dominanceof jets in business aviation andthe hegemony of Pratt & Whit-ney Canada (P&WC) over Hon-eywell, its primary competitor inturboprops, are the most likelycauses for the dearth of newtechnology. Both P&WC’s PT6Aand Honeywell’s TPE331 originaldesigns date from the mid-1960s. One start-up company,however, has plans for a clean-sheet turboprop engine. Rolls-Royce is also a player in thefield with an adaptation of its widely used helicopter tur-boshaft; the 250-B17F turbo-prop powers the Extra EA-500and the Grob G140TP singles.

At P&WC, the ubiquitousPT6A turboprop engine line hasentered its fifth decade of in-service life. The first model wasintroduced in 1964. Since then,some 60 versions have beendeveloped. As of the third quar-ter of last year, more than13,500 aircraft powered by thePT6A turboprop were in opera-tion around the world. The en-gine line has logged more than270 million operating hours.

There is some ambiguity inP&WC’s stance on the PT6A’sfuture. The PT6A now covers a wide range of power, from 550 to 2,000 shp. The company haslong been mulling a replacementbased on the PW600 turbofanline. P&WC’s Web site refers to it as “the PW600P turboprop, inthe 500- to 2,000-shp class, de-signed for general aviation single-and twin-engine aircraft.”

However, asked when aPW600 turboprop derivative isscheduled to replace the PT6A,P&WC answered, “It is not ourintention to have the PW600replace the PT6 engine familybut rather complement it.” Mar-ket research firm Forecast Inter-national offers an explanation forthat. “We do not see an immedi-ate need for launch of thePW600P because the PT6A con-trols substantial market shareand a turboprop variant of thePW600 would be expensive todevelop,” the research companysaid in a study late in 2004.

Yet, a PW600P would featuremuch simpler architecture thanthat of the reverse-flow PT6A. For

example, the latter’s compressorincludes three or four axial stages(depending on how powerful the

version is) and one centrifugalstage. The PW600P, using thesame core as the PW600 turbo-fan series, would have only oneaxial and one centrifugal stage,which translates into lower main-tenance costs.

Nevertheless, P&WC insiststhat engineers continue to injectnew technology and new materials

Few technology changeson the horizon for t-props

Continued on page 40P&WC PT6A

TURBOPROPS


Ease of maintenance and envi-ronmental concerns increasinglyare driving turbofan engine tech-nology. Business aviation enginemanufacturers–namely GE, Hon-eywell, P&WC, Rolls-Royce andWilliams International–continue tofocus design efforts on thrust-to-weight ratio, specific fuel con-sumption and cutting costs.

The emergence of the verylight jet (VLJ) segment and in-creasing regulation and lobbyingpressure seem to have furtherhighlighted the importance ofthe thrust-to-weight ratio andsfc. Meanwhile, two new marketentrants, GE Honda Aero En-gines and Price Induction, areendeavoring to develop a suc-cessful small engine.

P&WC’s focus on maintain-ability in designing the PW600line–which has found severalapplications in the VLJ seg-ment–can be seen in numerousaspects of the engine. Engineershave reached a lower part countin the fuel manifold, which isnow a single piece. In addition,P&WC told AIN that the hot sec-tion inspection can be com-pleted on wing overnight withminimal special tooling.

The PW600 design uses “one-deep line replaceable units[LRUs],” meaning that the re-placement of any single LRUdoes not require the disturbanceor removal of any other LRU.“This, coupled with no require-ment to [calibrate the control sys-tem] after an LRU replacement,results in rapid LRU replacementtimes,” the manufacturer said.The PW600 also includes a dual-channel FADEC.

Environmental issues becomemore important in engines thathave more than 6,000 pounds ofthrust, which is the baselinethrust to which ICAO’s committeeon aviation environmental protec-tion standards apply. The 6,100-pound-thrust PW307A, certifiedlast spring and powering the Fal-con 7X during its flight tests, hasa notable environmental slant inits design. For example, the Taloncombustor uses technologies

from Pratt & Whitney large com-mercial engines. It enables thePW307A to achieve Zurich 5emissions levels.

However, lower-thrust enginescan also benefit from environ-mentally conscious design. Forexample, Price Induction’s DGEN380 has a high bypass ratio–7.6instead of the approximately 3.0on other small engines such asthe PW600 and the WilliamsFJ44. One of the main reasonsfor this choice is noise reduction.“According to a preliminary study,we expect less than 55 dBA,”said company founder and CEOBernard Etcheparre.

The Rolls-Royce Tay 611-8C isone of the engines that most re-cently entered service. It debutedin May last year on the Gulf-stream G350/G450 and “had thesmoothest entry into service of allthe Tay engines,” Rolls-Royce said.Its advantages over earlier Tayvariants include a 12,000-hourTBO, 2-percent better fuel effi-ciency and 5 percent more thrustin hot and high conditions. TheG450 thus carries a higher mtowof 73,800 pounds, translating into3,500 nm range at Mach 0.85 (a250-nm improvement over theGulfstream IV). The new Tay alsopromises better reliability, thanksto the addition of FADEC, accord-ing to the manufacturer.

FADEC Engines ProliferateThose who are not familiar with

FADEC yet will probably encounterthis wizardry in the near future.Every new engine is controlled viaFADEC. For example, the primarychange on the PW535B, whichpowers the Cessna Citation En-core+, is the introduction of dual-channel FADEC, something thatwas lacking on the Encore’sPW535A. On the Cessna CitationCJ1+ and CJ2+, new FJ44 vari-ants feature Goodrich FADEC.

A representative of WilliamsInternational told AIN, “FADECmakes for safer flying because itraises the situational awarenessof the pilot, who no longer has tocheck and adjust engine powersettings throughout the flight.

This tedious, distracting chore isperformed automatically andmore precisely by FADEC.” Thisnot only reduces pilot workload,

but it also tends to reduce cyclicdamage to the engine, reducesthe risk of overtemping and ex-tends range by optimizing fuel ef-ficiency, Williams emphasized.

The FADEC units’ memorycan be used to monitor the wayan airplane is flown, as well asrecording the health trends ofthe engine. This information canbe used to adjust flying prac-tices to improve performance orextend life, and to discover po-tential problems and fix them be-fore any failures occur.

Williams is now developing theFJ44-4A, a new member in theFJ44 line. The 3,500-pound-thrustturbofan is progressing towardFAA/EASA certification by 2008,

according to its designers. Thefirst application is still unidentified.

Upgrading Older ModelsEven engines that have been

in production for a long time aregetting some technology infu-sions. GE’s CF34-3B, which pow-ers the Bombardier Challenger604 and 605, recently receivedseveral enhancements.

“We have incorporated ma-terials improvements in thehigh-pressure [HP] turbine thatprovide higher temperature ca-pability for the nozzles andshrouds. In addition, an up-graded accessory gearbox in-corporates increased durabilitygears and bearings and an op-timized oil jet and scavengesystem,” GE told AIN. Thecompany asserted that the re-sult will be better overall relia-bility and durability.

The company is also workingon an engine upgrade for theolder CF34-1A/-3A/-3A2 (pow-ering the Challenger 601). It willallow operators to migrate to anon-condition maintenance pro-gram versus hard-time shopvisits. This upgrade will be avail-able this year.

In addition, Rolls-Royce isworking on further improvementsto the AE3007. “We are activelyevaluating further incremental envi-ronmental performance but are notcurrently in a position to discuss


Jet engine designers focus on maintainability, environment

Engines Thrust or thrust range Applications (as of Dec.1, 2005)General Electric (GE)CF34-3B 9,220 lbs Bombardier Challenger 604GE HondaHF118 1,000-3,500 lbs None GE-HoneywellCFE738 6,000 lbs Dassault Falcon 2000HoneywellHTF7000 6,826 lbs Bombardier Challenger 300TFE731-20/40/60 3,500-4,500 lbs Falcon 50EX, Falcon 900C/900EX, Gulfstream G100/G150,

Falcon 50 retrofit, Learjet 40/40XR/4Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC)JT15D 2,200-3,350 lbs Raytheon Hawker 400XP, Hawker 850XPPW300 series 4,500-8,000 lbs Learjet 60, Gulfstream G200, Raytheon Hawker 4000, Dassault

Falcon 2000DX/EX, Cessna Citation Sovereign, Falcon 7XPW500 series 3,000-4,500 lbs Cessna Citation Bravo, Citation Encore+, Citation XLS,

Embraer Phenom 300PW600 series 1,000-3,000 lbs Eclipse 500, Embraer Phenom 100, Cessna Citation MustangPrice InductionDGEN 380 560 lbs NoneRolls-RoyceAE3007 6,700-7,200 lbs Cessna Citation X, Embraer Legacy 600BR710 15,000 lbs Gulfstream 500/550, Bombardier Global Express XRS,

Global 5000Tay 611-8C 13,850 lbs Gulfstream G350/G450Williams InternationalFJ33 1,500-1,700 lbs Adam A700, Diamond D-Jet, Excel Sport Jet, Spectrum 33,

TAM-AIR Epic, TAMJet, ATG JavelinFJ44-1A/1AP 1,900-2,100 lbs Cessna Citation CJ1, CJ1+FJ44-2A/2C 2,300-2,400 lbs Raytheon Premier IA, Sino Swearingen SJ30-2, Cessna

Citation CJ2, Citation I FJ44 Eagle, SpiritWing Lear 24/25FJ44-3A 2,400-3,000 lbs Cessna Citation CJ2+, CJ3, Grob SPn FJ44-4A 3,500 lbs None

Williams FJ44-1AP

TURBOFANS

TURBOFANS


at this time,” the company stated.Powering the Embraer Legacy600 and the Citation X, more than600 engines have accumulatedalmost 1.6 million hours and alittle over one million cycles.

P&WC acknowledged that, atentry into service, an intermittentvibration issue and various“minor” LRU issues had to be addressed on the Falcon2000EX’s PW308C. The power-plant now meets Dassault’s overallreliability targets, P&WC said. Anddispatch performance, after onlytwo-and-a-half years in service, isapproaching “mature levels.”

Despite several requests, Hon-eywell did not provide AIN with anupdate on the TFE731 and theHTF7000.

Honda flew its 1,670-pound-thrust HF118 in 2003 on its devel-opmental HondaJet but the enginehas undergone major modificationssince Honda formed a 50/50 jointventure with GE. GE Honda is vali-dating design and component en-hancements with early 2007 thetarget for running a full engine in-corporating these designs. TheHF118 is intended to be a 1,000- to3,500-pound-thrust engine series.

Last summer, the modifiedcore engine ran for the first time

at Honda’s Japanese facilities.The company has reduced the sfc by 5 percent through enginecomponent efficiencies. Enhance-ments to the HP centrifugal com-pressor have increased the airflowand the overall pressure ratio.Maybe the most spectacular ad-vance is the 15-percent reductionin overall engine weight.

By incorporating lighter,higher-temperature materials andengine-cycle design enhance-ments, GE Honda said it hasbeen able to reduce the size ofthe core engine. In the HP tur-bine, GE has introduced single-crystal material and 3-D aero-dynamics. The U.S.-based en-gine maker has used GE90 tech-nology [the GE90 powers theBoeing 777] on fan blades. Theynow feature a wide-chord, high-flow, swept design. “The HF118is being designed to operate inservice for 5,000 hours beforethe first major overhaul with nointerim hot-section inspection,”the joint venture noted.

New Companies Enter MarketIn Anglet, France, start-up

company Price Induction (seemarket story on page 34) is put-ting together its first 560-pound-

thrust DGEN 380 engine. Thecompany expects to run its firstcore engine by early March. “Weplan to run the first full engine twomonths later,” said company CEOand founder Bernard Etcheparre,who also maintained that all partsare designed with certification inmind and manufactured within theaerospace industry.

Meanwhile, State College,Pa.-based Innodyn is developinglightweight, fuel-efficient, low-cost 200- to 300-shp turbopropengines, as well as a 500-shpTwinPack that combines two250-shp turbines via a commongearbox. The company esti-mates that its turboprops willburn only about seven gph per100 shp produced.

Innodyn’s patented fuel con-trol/management system makes itsturbines so efficient and eliminatesthe throttle-to-power lag time. Acomputer monitors fuel consump-tion five times per rotation (300,000readings per minute at 60,000rpm), which allows for an optimalfuel/air mixture. The fuel-deliverysystem–composed of an “innova-tive” fuel nozzle and a “pulse widthmodulation” fuel pump–createssmall fuel pellets that burn com-pletely when ignited.

The company’s single-shaftturboprops have only 13 parts,with the majority being gears andthe only moving part being theshaft. A prototype 250-shp en-gine has been flying aboard anRV-4 experimental airplane for“several years.”

Innodyn plans to certify the en-gines, and it is seeking a strategicpartner with experience in FAA cer-tification to undertake the process.The company said several estab-lished aircraft manufacturers haveexpressed strong interest in thesmall powerplants. –T.D.

Honeywell HTF7000

into the PT6As. Some newer models haveelectronic controls but no full authoritydigital engine control (FADEC).

Beefing up the TPE331No in-production corporate aircraft fea-

tures Honeywell’s TPE331 turboprop engine.However, the latest applications include aCessna Caravan retrofit by Aero Twin and aKing Air C90/E90 retrofit, dubbed the KiloAlpha 290. The worldwide fleet of TPE331turboprop engines has logged more than106 million hours of operation sincethe engine entered service in1965. Some 11,300 exam-ples are in service aroundthe world.

On the TPE331-10conversion (more than1,000 completed), a newcombustor system, tur-bine and stator hardware,new static structure and anew fuel distribution systemgive “increased climb performance,cruise speed and temperature margin forhot-day operations.” Honeywell alsoclaims lower cost of ownership. For exam-ple, the TPE331-10 conversion offered onthe Mitsubishi MU-2 turboprop twin in-creases power and results in better per-formance. A TPE331-5-powered aircraft,retrofitted with TPE331-10Ts, gets 1,000shp on each engine (instead of 840). Cruisespeed jumps from 280 knots to 305 knotsand climb power is maintained to 15,000feet instead of 6,000 feet.

Honeywell executives said they areplanning further developments of theTPE331 to improve environmental perform-ance (fuel burn, noise and emissions), but

no additional details were available.

New Turboprop PossibleFinally, two new companies might

soon have an entry for the turboprop mar-ket. French start-up company Price In-duction recently unveiled a possibleturboprop derivative of its DGEN 380 tur-bofan, which is pegged to run in a fewweeks (see market and turbofan storiespage 34 and 38). “We have carried out astudy but we have not launched the tur-boprop yet,” Bernard Etcheparre clarified.

Costing about $120,000, the PI 380would be targeted at both single- andtwin-engine aircraft in the 3,000-poundand 4,000- to 5,000-pound mtow class,respectively. According to its designers,the Opus PI 380 would be suited forspeeds of 200 to 250 knots and altitudesof up to 25,000 feet.

Pennsylvania-based Innodyn is devel-oping 165- to 258-shp turboprops (seeturbofan story on page 39). o



Few technology changes on the horizon for t-propsContinued from page 37

Honeywell TPE331

TURBOPROPS

Engine Thrust or Applicationsthrust range (as of Dec.1, 2005)

HoneywellTPE331575- 1,800 shp Mitsubishi MU-2, Cessna Caravan retrofit,

King Air C90/E90 retrofitInnodyn

TE series 165-255 shp NonePratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC)PT6A 550-2,000 shp Piaggio Avanti, Raytheon King Airs, Pilatus

PC-12, Socata TBM 700 and 850, Piper Meridian, Cessna Caravan, Grob G160 Ranger, Ibis Aerospace Ae 270 HP

Price InductionOpus PI 380 300 shp NoneRolls-RoyceModel 250 450 shp Extra EA-500, Grob G140TP

TURBOPROPS

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