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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 0131.PDF
Turbofans log a million hours EVENDALE, AND EAST HARTFORD Both the CFM International CFM56-2 and Pratt & Whit ney JT9D-7R4 turbofans enter the new year with a million hours of reliable service under their belt. The engines have been in service for two-and-a-half and two years, respectively. The CFM56-2, which Eowers re-engined McDonnell •ouglas DC-8 Super 70s, has clocked up what CFM Inter national president and chief executive officer Jacques Chausse calls an "excep tionally high" 99-9 per cent despatch reliability rate, with a shop visit rate of 0-14 engine related events per 1,000 flight hours. He notes that this reliability rate means that CFM56-2- powered aircraft take off 999 times per 1000 without being delayed for engine related reasons, "and the shop visit rate equates to 7,000hr of on- wing time between servicing". Pratt & Whitney prefers to report its reliability figures in terms of in-flight shutdown rates, which for the JT9D- 7R4 are claimed to be equiva lent to one shutdown in 40,000 engine hours, repre senting five years of opera tion for a twin. Unplanned engine removal rate (i.e. "un planned" shop visit rate) is around one removal per 12,000hr, or about two years of twinjet operation. P&W's president, Larry Clarkson, says that the JT9D- 7R4 "has met or surpassed all of its performance objectives" for fuel efficiency, mainten ance, and operating costs. Reliability is also better, he says, than that of previous JT9Ds. The first JT9D-7R4 entered service in September 1982 aboard a Boeing 767, since when 107 JT9D-7R4- powered aircraft have been delivered to 18 airlines, with a further six scheduled to receive aircraft in 1985. The engine has been ordered for Boeing 747-200s and 300s, Boeing 767s, Airbus Industrie A300-600s, A310-200s, and a single A310-300 (Swissair). End of the line for Atar 9C PARIS Production of Snecma's powerplant for the Mirage III and Mirage 5, the 14,0001b Atar 9C, has ended 1,400 units and 22 years after the first example rolled off the line. After its first flight in a Mirage IV (production versions of which were powered by the Atar 9K13) in June 1959, the 9C went into production at Snecma's plants at Kellerman, Corbeil, and Villaroche, finding its way into the Mirage-equipped air forces of 20 countries. Snecma says that it expects the engine to remain in service until beyond the year 2000, and that it will maintain full support for all customers. The follow-on engine from the Atar 9C is the 15,9001b- thrust Atar 9K50, now in production for the Mirage Fl, Mirage 50, and 3NG. Garrett testing LHX engine PHOENIX Garrett reports that the engine it is developing for the US Army's LHX light heli copter has completed its second series of tests, and that it has a specific fuel burn 25-30 per cent better than current production engines of the same size. TheTSE109 has produced over 1,100 s.h.p. using the common core it shares with the F109 turbofan selected for the Fairchild T-46A trainer. This core has now, says Garrett, built up over 2,500hr of running time. The TSE109 will eventually be combined with Allison's Advanced Technology Demonstrator Engine (ATDE) in a joint PROPULSION venture aimed at the LHX contract. The team will compete with Avco and Pratt & Whitney, who are designing another common engine based on the PLT34 and the PT6. The idea is to give the US Army alternative sourcing and improved supplier com petitiveness, which should result in lower costs and better guarantees. Up to 11,000 LHX engines may be required. PW2037 looking good ATLANTA ~ Delta Airlines says that it is very pleased with the initial performance figures for its new, PW2037-powered, Boeing 757s Four aircraft are now flying for an average of nine hours per day, a tougher schedule than originally anticipated. "We have had virtually no problems", says the airline, "and the aircraft are more efficient than anticipated, currently achieving an aver age of 74-9 seat-miles per gallon, which is above the guaranteed figure". Delta could not comment on specific fuel burn figures for the PW2037, saying it was too early for a realistic evalu ation. Pratt & Whitney has guaranteed that the engine will be around eight per cent more fuel efficient than the competing Rolls-Royce RB.211-535E4. «j@ FLIGHT International, 12 January 1985
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