Aircraft

UK aero engine specialist Rolls-Royce and aerostructures firm GKN are to form a joint venture to undertake research into using composite materials for powerplant fan blades.

Rolls-Royce will hold a 51% share of the venture with GKN taking the balance. The companies state that the partnership will receive about £11 million ($22 million) in funding.

Use of composites in fan blades was explored as part of the European Union’s ‘environmentally-friendly aero engines’ programme VITAL. The companies say their joint work will build on the progress made.

“It will combine the expertise of Rolls-Royce’s advanced engine technologies with GKN Aerospace’s composite research and automated manufacturing technologies,” says Rolls-Royce.

The manufacturer’s director for research and technology Ric Parker says the two partners have been previously co-operating on carbon composite technology.

He adds: “The research that this organisation will undertake is aimed at delivering lightweight and low-cost fan blades for engines for the next generation of airframe applications.”

GKN says the venture with Rolls-Royce is a “critical step” towards bringing high-performance composite materials into engine development.

“We will achieve a genuine advance in propulsion-system technology that will move us towards a lighter, more environmentally-efficient aero engine,” says GKN Aerospace chief Marcus Bryson.

It follows the unveiling earlier this month of an initiative, led by Airbus, to improve the efficiency of applying composites to wing manufacturing.

Source: flightglobal.com's sister premium news site Air Transport Intelligence news