A senior Safran Helicopter Engines executive called 2019 “a fantastic year” and said that the company was “working very hard” on projects and programs in 2020, including eVTOL power systems. Bruno Bellanger, Safran Helicopter Engines executive vice president for programs, noted that the company certified four engines in 2019, a feat “never seen in our company in the last 20 years.” Those programs included engines for the Airbus Helicopters H160, Leonardo AW189, Indian Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and Avicopter AC352, the Chinese variant of the Airbus H175.
The Arrano 1A engine for the Airbus H160 received EASA type certification in June after a test campaign that included more than 11,000 run hours and 2,500 flight hours. The Arrano is a new-generation engine designed to power four- to six-tonne helicopters and produces between 1,100 and 1,300 shp. Engine features include new-generation digital controls and an efficient two-stage compressor with new variable inlet guide vanes. The components Improve engine thermal efficiency and yield a fuel burn that is up to 15 percent lower than comparable in-service engines, Belanger said. The "gyratory" combustion chamber uses fuel injectors made with additive manufacturing techniques (3D printing). The Arrano 1A was designed to be more easily serviced, and maintenance time required is half of that for previous-generation engines, according to Safran. The company offers operators complementary services with the engine, including its electronic engine logbook (Boost) and health monitoring. Bellanger said that more than 1,700 Safran engines across all models are enrolled in Boost.
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