The Pratt & Whitney PW4084-powered Boeing 777 was granted US Federal Aviation Administration approval for 180min extended-range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) before service-entry with launch customer United Airlines. This significant milestone was achieved following a 1,000-cycle validation programme, including eight 180min single-engine diversion tests.
The version of the Airbus A330 powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4168's has also gained 180min ETOPS approval following completion of 20,000 engine hours in revenue service.
P&W is still hoping to supply PW2000 engines for ten Ilyushin Il-96T freighters and ten Il-96M passenger aircraft ordered by Aeroflot Russian International Airlines - the engine is now only in commercial service on some Boeing 757s. PW2337s rated at 165kN would power the Il-96Ms, while the freighters would be fitted with 180kN PW2340s. The deal is still subject to the approval of a financing package from the US Exim Bank.
Meanwhile, work on P&W's advanced ducted propulsor (ADP) is being stepped up, with full engine testing due to begin in 1997. The PW2000-based core will be geared to a 2.5m diameter ducted fan and enclosed within a 2.8m diameter nacelle to generate around 205kN of thrust. The advanced structures used in the nacelle are being designed to be "scaleable", enabling them to be used for an eventual family of ADPs covering the 90-445kN range.
P&W's Government-engines and space-propulsion division received a US Air Force contract to build 27 F119 turbofans for nine flight-test Lockheed Martin F-22s. The F-119 is reported to be around 8% above its subsonic-cruise specific-fuel-consumption (SFC) target, but has met its supersonic-cruise SFC target. Lockheed Martin says that the F-22 engine is "...within a few per cent of what the USAF contracted for".
The company continues to make rapid progress in meeting Phase II goals of the US Integrated High Performance Turbine Engine Technology Initiative, the aim of which is to double military-propulsion capabilities by 2003. The technology used in P&W's experimental XTC-66 core could boost fighter-engine thrust-to-weight ratio by as much as 60%, compared with the YF119 core developed for the Advanced Tactical Fighter competition.
P&W's multi-directional thrust-vectoring nozzle is due to be flown on a modified McDonnell Douglas F-15.
Source: Flight International
