Chris Kjelgaard

Pratt &amp; Whitney is planning to achieve additional 5 to 7 percent fuel-burn reductions from its PW1000G geared turbofans by the mid-2020s through the adoption of a higher-technology core for the PW1000G family than the core the engines have now.


Interviewed by AIN at the engine maker’s annual media event on Wednesday at its development, production and testing facility at West Palm Beach in Florida, Pratt &amp; Whitney president Robert Leduc said PW1000G engines could achieve up to 7 percent lower fuel burn if the PW1000G’s core incorporated more advanced technologies than those it has now.


“GE, with the [CFM International] Leap X, used core technology,” to produce the 15 percent lower fuel burn offered by the Leap-1A powering the Airbus A320neo family compared with that offered by CFM’s predecessor A320 engine, the CFM56-5B, said Leduc. Pratt &amp; Whitney opted to used geared turbofan technology instead to produce the 16 percent lower fuel burned by the PW1100G-JM compared with Pratt &amp; Whitney’s predecessor A320 engine, the IAE V2500-A5. However, he added, “We believe there is five to seven percent more improvement by the mid-2020s…if we step up the core technology injection,” to produce a PW1000G core as advanced as that of the Leap program.


While the PW1000G’s existing hybrid-aluminum fan blade design is, claimed Leduc, the most efficient fan blade, because using aluminum allows its airfoil to be very thin and therefore more than 98 percent efficient, the next-generation engines will have higher operating pressure ratios and higher temperatures at the back of the compressor. “So we will need a more efficient compressor to keep the temperature down,” said Leduc. “We’ll need 2 to 3 percent better efficiency than historically.”


Additionally, Leduc predicted that the company will need ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) to make next-generation engines. Although Pratt &amp; Whitney chose not to incorporate CMCs into its initial PW1000G core, it manufactures CMC parts for the F135 engine for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. For Pratt &amp; Whitney’s commercial aircraft engines, the company believes CMCs will be ready for production in 5 to 10 years.


Meanwhile, Chris Calio, president of Pratt &amp; Whitney Commercial Engines, confirmed that the company has completed developing improved combustor lining material and an improved carbon air seal for the PW1100G-JM’s Number 3 bearing. Together, distressed carbon air seals and degraded combustor linings have led to approximately 50 premature removals of PW1100G-JM engines from A320neos, most of them operated by Indian carriers GoAir and Indigo. “We completed the full retrofit of [already] fitted engines on about 50 aircraft about three weeks ago,” said Calio. “The full suite of hardware and software fixes is in today’s [new] production PW1100G-JMs.”


Another current PW1100G-JM issue, a combustor “shriek” caused by excessive vibration, has been attributed to issues relating to the regulation of air pressure in the number three bearing seal. Calio explained that it has been solved by new engine control software and an improved carbon air seal.


Pratt &amp; Whitney has incorporated all these fixes in an improved PW1100G-JM combustor designated “CSTARS,” which is now undergoing testing at the company’s System Engineering Development Assembly Engine Center in West Palm Beach. CSTARS is the combustor Pratt &amp;Whitney will use to achieve extended twin engine operations (ETOPS) certification for the PW1100G-JM, which it is targeting for this year’s fourth quarter.


“We remain cautiously optimistic about [achieving] ETOPS in the fourth quarter,” said Calio. “We’re meeting all the performance requirements and the regulatory agencies now have the paperwork” associated with P&amp;W’s ETOPS certification testing. Deliveries of Hawaiian Airlines’ A321neos, planned to begin this year, are dependent on the PW1100G-JM achieving ETOPS certification, because all its services between Hawaii and U.S. mainland destinations are ETOPS operations.

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

Pratt & Whitney Says New PW1000G Core Will Cut Fuel Burn

Pratt & Whitney confirmed plans to developed a new high-technology core for its PW1000G family of turbofans by 2020.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

One engine would be able to run at low-idle in a twin-engine helicopter application

FAA Proposes Special Conditions for PW220A Idle Cruise

Charles Alcock

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Improved engine production and test facilities are mainly focused on military programs

Rolls-Royce Completes $1 Billion Engine Site Upgrade

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

The first hybrid-electric flights above 30,000 feet, as well as the first across the North Atlantic, GE says.

GE Aerospace and Beta Technologies Cross Atlantic in Hybrid-electric Saab 340B Commuter Aircraft

Australian start-up planned to convert Beechcraft Bonanza and 1900D aircraft

Lack of Funding Shuts Hydrogen Propulsion Pioneer Stralis

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Turboshaft has flown more than 600 hours after first flight in March 2023

EASA Issues Type Certificate for AW09 Arriel 2K Engine

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

More In Engines

FAA Proposes Special Conditions for PW220A Idle Cruise

One engine would be able to run at low-idle in a twin-engine helicopter application

Rolls-Royce Completes $1 Billion Engine Site Upgrade

Improved engine production and test facilities are mainly focused on military programs

GE Aerospace and Beta Technologies Cross Atlantic in Hybrid-electric Saab 340B Commuter Aircraft

The first hybrid-electric flights above 30,000 feet, as well as the first across the North Atlantic, GE says.

Lack of Funding Shuts Hydrogen Propulsion Pioneer Stralis

Australian start-up planned to convert Beechcraft Bonanza and 1900D aircraft

EASA Issues Type Certificate for AW09 Arriel 2K Engine

Turboshaft has flown more than 600 hours after first flight in March 2023

FAA’s Rocheleau Admits Unleaded Avgas Timeline May Slip

Deadline of Dec. 31, 2030 may have to be moved if a suitable fuel isn't available

Sikorsky and Safran Pledge Increased Collaboration

Proposal promises accelerated engine innovation

Canada Could Keep Gripen Engine Work at Home

GE and Magellan sign F414 support agreement

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN