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Aviation History
1990
1990 - 1660.PDF
TECHNICAL: PROPULSION Boeing compares 767-X engines BY GUY NORRIS IN HONG KONG Comparative data released to airlines by Boeing about the rival General Electric (GE), Pratt & Whitney (P&W) and Rolls- Royce (R-R) engines offered to power the 767-X show the Brit ish company's engine to be the lightest. General Electric's GE90 has the lowest specific fuel consumption (SFC). According to the Seattle-based manufacturer, the GE90 offered by GE for the 767-X "... is 2,400 kilos per engine heavier than the Trent 800", says Cathay Pacific engineering director, Stewart John. The P&W PW4082 is "also about one tonne heavier", according to John. The news is an unexpected boost for R-R which has been constantly handicapped by the weight' of its RB.211 big-fan family compared with GE's CF6 series and P&W's JT9 and PW4000 families. R-R's RB.211-524 series, at around 7t installed weight, has been up to it heavier per engine than either the GE or P&W competition. John says that this disadvantage has been made up for by "far better performance retention". Figures released by P&W user Singapore International Airlines show that in 747 service the PW4000 shows a 3% deteriora tion in SFC over l,000h levelling off at about 4% beyond this time. The GE CF6-80C2 meanwhile levels off at around 3% over 10,000h compared with roughly 2% for the RB.211. R-R hopes to maintain the retention performance with the Trent by maintaining lower tur bine entry temperatures (TET) for the three versions. According to data released by the manufac turers, the TET will be up to 100K cooler than the PW4000 on the MD-11, and for the Trent 700 on the A330, 60K cooler than the CF6-80E1 or the PW4164. Simi larly, the Trent 800 is claimed to have a TET some 100K lower for the 767-X than the GE90's. Despite these advantages, the Boeing-released data shows the GE90 plans to offer a 2% better SFC than the Trent 800 and a 2.5% advantage over the PW4082. The first run of the Rolls- MARSH-MODIFIED GRUMMAN S-2F TRACKER UNVEILED A pair of Garrett TPE331-14/15 turboprops of l,227kW (I,645shp) driving Hartzell/ive-bladed propellers power the Grumman S-2F Tracker modified by Marsh Aviation and just certificated by the US Federal Aviation Administration. Single-lever control, automatic start sequencing, torque limiting and an 800A DC electrical system feature on the converted carrier aircraft, now marketed for low-cost patrol and anti-submarine warfare. Carrier trials will start this year with the aircraft, called the Turbo Tracker Royce Trent turbofan is sched uled for August following the completion of rig and compo nent testing at the UK engine manufacturer's Derby site. The first engine run will start a certification programme set to cover development of three ver sions between 1990 and Jan uary 1994. Schedules revealed by Rolls- Royce show certification of the 293kN (65,150lb)-thrust version of the Trent 600 is expected to take place in around 13 months' time. The engine is being de signed to power the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 and will be fol lowed by a more powerful 306kN version if the US company de cides to launch the MD-12X. Both versions of the Trent 600 will use the same 240cm fan and turbo-machinery. Given an MD-12X go-ahead, certification of the later Trent 600 is timed for around May 1993—shortly after the Trent-powered MD-ll's entry into service with the UK's Air Europe. Certification of the more powerful 304kN Trent 700 for the Airbus A330, ordered by Cathay Pacific and TWA, is now planned for November/Decem ber 1993 with an entry-into-ser- vice date of early 1995. No timetable has yet been issued for a prospective Trent 700 version, capable of 320kN and planned for the long-range A330-600. Both versions would use the same 248cm fan. Certification of the baseline Trent 800, designed for the pro posed Boeing 767-X, has been set for around February 1994 with entry into service due around the middle of 1995. Up to three versions of the Trent 800 could be produced for the three 767-X types offered to airlines. All will use a 279cm fan, al though so far R-R has only given outline certification details of the 321kN version planned for the 767-X "A market" transcontinen tal variant. A larger 370kN ver sion is being designed for the intercontinental "B market" while larger-thrust type awaits definition for a very-long-range "C market" 767-X. • CFE738 readied for its first run CFE738 passes full-rated test The new CFE738 turbofan, chosen by Dassault to power the Falcon 2000 business twinjet, has run to its full-rated thrust of 26.7kN (6,0001b) following an initial run at the General Electric/Garrett partner ship's factory in Phoenix, Ari zona, on 16 May. Operation was normal and fuel bum lower than expected, claims CFE. The engine had initially been rated at 24.9kN. CFE will build 11 engines for the development effort, sched uled for competion in late 1992. Dassault is the first company to select the engine. • GE talks to new GE90 partners General Electric has opened talks with prospective part ners in the new GE90 pro gramme following MTU's withdrawal from the large turbo fan project proposed for the Boeing 767-X widebodied twin. GE says that it aims to secure foreign partners within "several months" to replace MTU, which had a risk- and revenue-sharing stake of around 25%, and which was involved in work on the engine's low-pressure turbine. MTU defected to GE's rival Pratt & Whitney. MTU's replacements may not be offered all of the West German company's stake, how ever. GE says that it may perform some of the work itself because of the strength of the market. D 20 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 13-19June 1990
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