Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

GE Aviation has begun full testing of a new generation of rotorcraft engines, initially for the military but possibly with implications for the civil market. The Future Affordable Turbine Engine (Fate) program is a partnership between GE and the U.S. Army. The engine is designed to meet some aggressive goals, among them a 35-percent reduction in specific fuel consumption, 80-percent improvement in power-to-weight ratio, 20-percent improvement in design life and 45-percent reduction in production and maintenance costs relative to currently fielded engines. The technology advancements are expected to improve hot-and-high payload and performance and extend range and endurance for existing and new rotorcraft.

 


The first full engine test follows the completion last year of Fate compressor, combustor and turbine rig tests. The Fate compressor rig recorded the highest single-spool compressor pressure ratio in GE Aviation’s history. The combustor tested makes extensive use of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) that withstand high temperatures and weigh less than conventional materials. The Fate turbine rig was built using additive manufacturing techniques for faster construction and lower development costs. These rigs followed Fate inlet particle separator tests completed in 2014.

 


“The Fate program is the most advanced turboshaft development program in GE’s history,” said Harry Nahatis, GE Aviation’s general manager of advanced turboshaft programs. “We’re proud to work with the Army in bringing these breakthrough technologies to maturity, and we’re encouraged with the full engine test results thus far.”

 


In 2011, GE was awarded the Fate cooperative program to design a 5,000- to 10,000-shp turboshaft that demonstrates technologies applicable to existing aircraft and future rotorcraft requirements such as the Department of Defense’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program. GE maintains that these technologies can be incorporated into new and existing engines, including the GE 3000, which was demonstrated in the Army’s Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine program, or upgrades to the T700 (which powers the Sikorsky UH-60 and the Boeing AH-64), or the T408 in the Marine Corps CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter.

 


“With the T408, GE3000 and Fate programs, we have a multigenerational product plan that shares technologies across our military rotorcraft efforts, incorporates commercial engine technologies and fuses them together in a low-risk manner to drive high-performance and affordable engines applicable to both military and commercial aircraft,” said <a href="http://www.geaviation.com/company/leadership.html#lydon-rodgers">Jean Lydon-Rodgers</a>, vice president and general manager of GE Aviation’s military systems operation.&nbsp;

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

GE Begins Full Fate Engine Tests

The military technology could have applications for civil rotorcraft.

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

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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.

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

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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

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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.

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