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Aviation History
1969
1969 - 0030.PDF
18 AERO ENGINES 1969... Large Turbofans (25,0001b upwards) Here the Pratt & Whitney JT9D is clearly in the ascendency, with the Rolls- Royce RB.211 and General Electric CF-6 and TF39 following on, in that order. With two committed applications, the JT9D offers P&W the chances of revenue of unprecedented pro portions. Launching costs are high however (including an additional $40 to $100 million for certification in the DC-10) and it remains to be seen how big an outlet the Douglas airbus proves to be in the face of very active competition from the GE CF-6. With the demise of the A-300 European airbus project in its original form the even larger Rolls-Royce RB.207 is now without a firm application. The opportunity this affords Rolls-Royce to concentrate on RB.211 development coupled with the chances of a further market from the smaller A-300B may well suit the company better. However it seems not unlikely that the next big turbofan to come to fruition will be a radically more powerful JT9D derivative for second generation 747s and related applications. Russia has no large turbofans in immediate prospect until it has acquired adequate large fan blade technology. P&W and Allison are also developing new augmented turbofans of around 26,0001b afterburning thrust, under contract to the USAF for its FX project. Medium Turbofans (10,0001b upwards) A high rate of pro duction of the Pratt & Whitney JT8D and Rolls-Royce Spey continues and there are proposals for an 18,0001b Spey aft-fan variant. Most important development in this sector however is the rising importance of the NASA's Quiet Engine pro gramme in which P&W and Allison are competing for a development contract to be awarded in the near future for a 22,0001b single-stage-fan turbofan offering significant reduc tions in noise generation. Rolls-Royce three-shaft technology is being fed into the Allison submission via a sub-contract arrangement. The market for this turbofan is seen to be the re-engining of the many hundreds of Boeing 707/720 and Douglas DC-8 transports to help them meet future more stringent noise requirements. Small Turbofans (up to 10,0001b) More new turbofans are being developed in this sector than in the aforementioned. At the upper end of the bracket, the Rolls-Royce/Snecma M45H should now be on test for the VFW614, while the novel and smaller AiResearch ATF3, first of America's three-shaft engines, ran in May last year and is already the subject of a significant re^engining retrofit contract. If successful, it will lift AiResearch out of the bottom end of the market and more ENGINES AIRESEARCH (AiResearch Manufacturing Company, Division of the Garrett Corporation), Phoenix, Arizona, USA ATF3 Civil three-shaft turbofan. A new private venture project, started development testing in May 1968 to power executive, utility and commuter aircraft. Unusual reverse-flow layout provides low cruise s.f.c. and low noise generation. Deliveries planned for 1970. Growth potential to 9,0001b. Applications Dassault Fan Jet Falcon 70, 2XATF3A (5,0001b). North American Rockwell Sabreliner Series 60, 2XATF3 (4,0001b) retrofit engines. (ATF3) Single-stage 1-p fan (driven by i-p turbine), six-stage i-p compressor (driven by 1-p turbine), single-stage (single-sided) centri fugal h-p compressor, annular reverse-flow combustor, single-stage h-p turbine, two-stage i-p & 1-p turbines. Accessories mounted in turbine exhaust cone. Take-off 4,0001b; b.p.r. 3:1; pressure ratio 25:1; length 94in; diameter 33.5in; weight 800-8501b. TPE331 Civil single-shaft turboprop. Design is based on AiResearch's extensive small gas-turbine APU experience. Development potential to 1,000 s.h.p. FLIGHT International, 2 January 1969 into competition with the bigger engine companies. Two really small turbofans are the United Aircraft of Canada JT15D which first test flew last August and has its initial application in the new Cessna Fanjet 500, and the Snecma/Turbomeca Larzac of the same size which should make its first run in the near future. The backing and name of UAC's parent concern, Pratt & Whitney, is likely to weigh very much in the JT15D's favour. Two military engines are the General Electric TF34 now entering development for the US Navy's VSX project and the Rolls-Royce RB.199 proposal (or its successor) for the MRCA project. Augmented Turbofans Pratt & Whitney has been in both technical and financial trouble with its TF30 for the F-lll, but likely selection of the engine for the US Navy's VFX-1 project indicates continuing Navy faith in its potential. The Rolls-Royce RB.168-25R Spey in RAF and RN Phantoms, which has also been the subject of financial comment, will, during 1969, become the second augmented turbofan to enter military service. The Swedish Flygmotor RM8 is entering large-scale production for the Saab Viggen and the Rolls- Royee/Turbomeca Adour is flying in the Breguet/BAC Jaguar. The Kuznetsov NK144 should soon follow suit in the Tupolev Tu-144 SST. Turbojets Development proceeds on the Rolls-Royce/ Snecma Olympus 593 soon to fly in the Concorde, and on the General Electric GE4—at 67,0001b the world's most powerful engine—for the definitive Boeing 2707-300 SST. A new project is the Snecma M53 Super Atar 09K53 for the Mirage G4 and other advanced aircraft. Turboprops The tussle between the United Aircraft of Canada PT6A, AiResearch TPE331 and Turbomeca Astazou continues but with the TPE331, in particular, slowly ousting its French competitor. The smaller Allison Model 250 is now also coming on the market. Turboshafts New developments are the General Electric GE12 and Pratt & Whitney ST9 competing for the US Army's future VTOL business, the AiResearch TSE36 aimed to com pete with the light piston engine, and the Rolls-Royce BS.360 soon to go on test for the Westland WG.13 as part of the Anglo/French helicopter programme. VTOL Systems The Rolls-Royce Pegasus, in the HS Harrier for the RAF, will, later this year, become the world's first jet VTOL engine to enter service. The similar but smaller Rolls-Royce/MAN RB.193 should be delivered to VFW for the VAK191B, and the Rolls-Royce/Allison J99 liftjet, on a low priority Anglo-US development programme, is now scheduled to be on test. REVIEWED Tested for the first time last summer: the private-venture AiResearch civil three-shaft turbofan designated ATF3. It is scheduled to power business, utility, and commuter aircraft
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