PurePower PW1000G Flies On A340 Test Aircraft
Airbus and Pratt & Whitney have launched joint flight
testing of the PurePower PW1000G Geared Turbofan engine, with the
first flight Tuesday on an Airbus-owned A340 test aircraft in
Toulouse, France.
The two companies have partnered on flight testing a technology
demonstrator of the PW1000G engine, which feature's Pratt &
Whitney's patented Geared Turbofan technology and targets
double-digit improvements in fuel burn, environmental emissions,
engine noise and operating costs. The Airbus testing follows Pratt
& Whitney's own ground and flight test program.
"We are delighted to partner with Airbus on flight testing the
PurePower PW1000G engine," said Todd Kallman, president, Pratt
& Whitney Commercial Engines & Global Services.
"Demonstrating the Geared Turbofan technology throughout its entire
operating envelope using the Airbus A340 flight test aircraft,
combined with the tremendous experience of the Airbus flight test
team, will provide us with valuable installation and operating data
to further evaluate the performance of this new engine
architecture."
As ANN reported, Pratt & Whitney started
initial flight tests on its Boeing 747SP testbed (shown below) in
August. The joint Airbus and Pratt & Whitney flight test
program follows 12 flights and approximately 43 flight hours on the
747SP. The A340 flight testing, which will include approximately 75
flight hours, will focus on engine performance and acoustic testing
while providing valuable installation and operating data.
"The PurePower PW1000G engine continues to perform flawlessly
and has accumulated more than 300 hours of ground and flight
testing to date," said Bob Saia, Pratt & Whitney vice
president, Next Generation Product Family. "The first phase of our
flight test program included full power takeoffs, in- flight
performance up to 40,000 feet altitude, engine operability
including in-flight starting, and engine operation during extreme
aircraft maneuvers. The PW1000G engine's performance has met all of
our pre-flight performance targets."
The PurePower PW1000G demonstrator engine, with Pratt &
Whitney's patented Geared Turbofan technology, completed a 250-hour
ground test program in May. The ground test program follows
thousands of hours of development testing accumulated on 16
technology rigs at Pratt & Whitney and partner facilities
around the world. Airbus will be the first aircraft manufacturer to
fly the PurePower PW1000G demonstrator engine on its own flight
test aircraft. Test results will contribute to the company's
long-term research and technology assessment of new engine
configuration developments.
In 2007, Pratt & Whitney's PurePower PW1000G engine was
selected as the exclusive power for the new Mitsubishi Regional Jet
and the Bombardier CSeries. The Mitsubishi Regional Jet program
announced its first customer in March 2008, with an order from All
Nippon Airways. The CSeries was launched in July 2008 with a letter
of interest for up to 60 aircraft from Lufthansa. Both aircraft are
scheduled to enter service in 2013.
The PW1000G engine uses a gear system allowing the engine's fan
to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor
and turbine. The result is a step-change improvement in fuel
efficiency and a slower fan speed for much lower noise.
Pratt & Whitney has over 16,000 aircraft engines installed
with hundreds of airlines around the world. Additionally, Pratt
& Whitney is a leading participant in two joint venture
companies that manufacture commercial aircraft engines:
International Aero Engines, which makes the V2500 for the Airbus
A320 family of aircraft, and the Engine Alliance, whose GP7200
engine is FAR 33 certified for the new Airbus A380.