Turbofan engine makers active in business aviation– such as General Electric, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Rolls-Royce and Snecma– all have their hands full with research-and-development (R&D) programs, many of which are driven by aircraft programs. However, almost all of the engine companies also run demonstration programs that will not necessarily morph into full engine development. Instead, these demonstrators ensure technologies are ready when an aircraft maker issues a request for proposals. One startup company–Price Induction–seems to have attracted enough interest to plan for a full certification program without any application. Repeated inquiries to Williams International about product development remained unanswered.
General Electric (GE) is developing the HF120 jointly with Honda for the HondaJet and Spectrum S40 Freedom business jets. The engine maker is currently working on the first fully conforming HF120, and plans to begin testing it by mid-year. “The program is on track for certification late this year or early in 2010,” Shawn O’Day, GE’s marketing leader for business and general aviation, told AIN. Entry into service for the HF120–rated at 2,095 pounds of thrust–is expected in 2010. The two partner companies have so far run 10 core and 10 full engines. Testing, teardown and rebuilding of full turbofan engines have been under way at Honda’s Aircraft Engine R&D Center in Japan for more than 18 months. This year, the engine is slated to undergo tests on a flying testbed, as well as on the HondaJet. By service entry, the HF120 is expected to have accumulated some 15,000 hours of ground and flight testing.
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