heavily loaded and have a simple geometry, Bevans explained. At technology readiness level 5 to 6, they are thought not to be mature for production yet. For the fan, Honeywell did consider a blisk some 10 years ago. But design engineers thought maintainability issues were too great. A fan blisk of that diameter could not have been inspected with fluorescent techniques at maintenance workshops, as the required equipment installed at that time would not have accommodated such a large part. And the techniques to repair damage to the blades were not sufficiently mature, Bevans added. Bevans also emphasized his team is working on reduced emissions for engines below the 6,000-pound-thrust threshold, even though they are not subject to pollutant regulations, based on requests from airframers and operators. One reason may be that some airports levy fees that depend on the emission level “but it’s more about being
a good citizen,” Bevans said. The original design of some of Honeywell’s current turbofans is four decades old. The company is trying to integrate low-emission technology into these turbofans, such as the 5,000-pound-thrust-class TFE731. Engineers are constrained by the physical geometry of the combustor but can work with techniques like coating, effusion cooling, etc. On the 1,650-shp TPE331 turboprop, Honeywell is looking at a new engine control system. It has been hydromechanical so far “and we are receiving some requests about Fadec or electronic control,” Bevans said. He made it clear the company is not committed to go ahead yet, as it would involve extensive development. .
Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (Booth C8134) is planning to add an automatic data download feature
on the 13,850-pound-thrust Tay and 15,000-pound-thrustclass BR710 turbofans that power the Gulfstream G450 and G550, respectively, as well as in-production Bombardier Globals (BR710). The new function is already in place on the 16,900-pound-thrust BR725 for the G650. “It improves predictive maintenance, as data is downloaded daily, as opposed to monthly when it is done manually,” a spokesman told AIN. The company expects to be “even more proactive in identifying and resolving issues,” thus increasing operational availability. It is simultaneously enhancing its algorithms for engine health monitoring. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce has demonstrator engines for large commercial aircraft applications running on test stands, but is hoping to scale down some technologies for business aviation. A geared fan, for instance, could thus be in the cards, AIN understands. “We are looking at all engine architectures for business aircraft,” the spokesman said. .
Honeywell HTF7000
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140
Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada (Booth C10807) in February hit a major milestone, when the 15,144-pound-thrust PW814GA and 15,680-pound-thrust PW815GA engines received Transport Canada certification. The PW814GA then powered the maiden flight of Gulfstream’s new G500 business jet in May. Rolls-Royce
The PW800 family has achieved more than 4,000 hours of evaluation operation and more than 8,200 cycles. This includes more than 110 flights and 600 flight-test hours on Pratt’s Boeing 747SP flying testbed. In total, the advanced common core technology, used in six PurePower engine applications, has amassed more than 22,000 testing hours. The technology is used in Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower geared turbofans for commercial aircraft. The company is soon to announce the ESP PurePower PW800 service plan. “Pratt & Whitney Canada is looking at about a dozen new things to cover and is in discussions with key customers as it continues to craft its offering,” a spokesperson said. Among other elements to be included are proactive engine health monitoring, actionable diagnostics, borescope picture evaluation, training and technical publications. The 5,760-pound-thrust PW306D1, selected to power the Cessna Citation Latitude, received FAA approval in February. Rated at a maximum takeoff thrust of 5,907
pounds, this latest addition to the PW300 engine family features higher thrust at climb and cruise as well as improvements in overall SFC. In addition, the PW306D’s engine control system is integrated with the Latitude’s avionics and autothrottle system, to make operation easier. In May, the 6,725-pound-thrust PW307D, set to power Dassault’s new Falcon 8X, was granted Transport Canada certification. The Falcon 8X completed its first flight in February. For the 950- to 1,780-poundthrust PW600 engine family, Pratt “continues to make the necessary investments,” although light jets continue to be adversely affected by the world economic downturn. “Customers in this market segment are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach,” the spokesperson said. Asked what will be the next development in the 2,900to 4,500-pound-thrust PW500 family, she said, “it is too early to comment on this.” On the PT6A turboprop, a Fadec is being considered for some versions. This would help improve SFC and reduce pilot workload. o
www.ainonline.com • November 17, 2015 • NBAA Convention News 13