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Aviation History
1990
1990 - 0017.PDF
TECHNICAL: AIR TRANSPORT Rolls-Royce/Snecma SST engine Ajoint survey agreement covering a second-genera tion supersonic transport (SST) has been signed between Rolls- Royce and Snecma. The two-year study will iden tify the market and lay the foundations for detailed en quiries into possible technology. The two companies are confident that by putting themselves in place now they can exploit the engine need as it arises. Rolls-Royce and Snecma will be talking to potential cus tomers—airlines and airframe manufacturers—including orga nisations from Japan and the Soviet Union, both of whom have plans for collaborative ven tures on SST programmes. Rolls-Royce discussions with the Soviet Union have so far been in support of a proposed Gulfstream/Sukhoi supersonic business jet of up to 50 seats. The company has also been working closely with MITI of Japan on a high-speed propulsion programme. The survey will decide ul timately the concept to be adopted for an efficient SST propulsion system. Engine companies are conducting stud ies into a number of principles, including the variable-cycle engine (VCE) and the aft fan engine. The VCE would be designed to operate as a turbofan for sub sonic operation and a turbojet in supersonic mode, whereas the aft fan engine would utilise a vari able expansion ratio across the turbine giving both low and high power and flow. Rolls-Royce believes that the cost of an SST project, whether for a 50-seat business jet or a four-engine long-range trans port, would preclude develop ment by any one counry and that international collaboration would probably exceed the Con corde two-country joint venture. Both manufacturers are conducting studies into VCE, but Rolls-Royce says that a more fo cused development plan is not advisable until the direction is identified as either towards the small business aircraft or the long-range transport. • Olympus: a descendant may be variable-cycle PW125B deal for Netherlands The Netherlands has been chosen for the assembly and testing of the Pratt & Whitney PW125B turboprop engine, se lected for the Fokker 50. Under a joint agreement be tween RMO-Werkspoor Services and turbine overhaul and power plant support (TOPPS), up to 70 engines a year will be assembled starting early this year. The work will take place at TOPPS' new site in Tilburg, Netherlands opened and fitted out at a total cost of FI25 million ($12.8 million). TOPPS was set up in 1988 as a joint venture between KLM and Turbine Support Europa. • Soviets block funding for hydrogen-fuel engine In a further blow to the pros pects for a switch to ecologi cally friendly fuel, the Soviet Government is denying funds to engine and airframe designers seeking to develop a liquefied- gas-fuelled airliner. Nikolai Kuznetsov, head of the Kuznetsov bureau which devel oped the. NK-88 engines powering the experimental hydrogen-fuelled Tupolev Tu-155, says Soviet bureaucrats refuse to fund development of an aircraft despite years of lobbying. Kuznetsov's comments come as West Germany's MBB admits funding problems and delays in its efforts to study the use of hydrogen fuel in an Airbus air craft (Flight, 13-19 December). Kuznetsov complains: "For all these years we have been knock ing on various ministerial doors trying to convince them that the engine is needed not for our selves but for everyone. They nod, agree with us, but still refuse us funds. We have been beating our heads against this ministerial wall for years but it remains solid." He believes that Soviet bureau cratic inertia will give away the Soviet lead in the technology and that a Western firm will start developing an aircraft within ten years. "Then the Ministry of Civil Aviation will start hastily invest ing large sums, rushing and trying to catch up with whoever does it first," Kuznetsov predicts. The engine designer believes that Soviet industry should start by converting several Tu-154 air craft with the NK-88 hydrogen- burning engines over the next four years and then develop a new aircraft and engine specifi cally for the new cryogenic fuel. A dual-fuel engine is also needed by Kuznetsov. Talks between MBB and the Soviets on co-operation have been unsuccessful. Hydrogen, a rocket propellant, burns with little pollution. • The British Aerospace Airbus division has opened a new technical centre at Filton, near Bristol. The centre represents an investment of more than £15 million and will support the larg est civil-aircraft design and computing capability in the UK with a total of 2,900 workstations around BAe. The centre has the prime responsibil ity for the design of the wings for all Airbus airliners. The centre will ••also provide technical support for existing air craft such as the BAC One- Eleven and Concorde and will carry out design studies into projects such as advanced super sonic transport aircraft. • BAe opens Airbus technical centre Computer-generated A320 from the new BAe technical centre at Filton FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 3-9 lanuarv 1990 15
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