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Aviation History
1994
1994 - 1208.PDF
MOSCOW AERO ENGINE '94 In spite of the harden ing of political atti tudes towards the West, Moscow's Aeroengine 94 exhibi tion between 10 and 15 May demonstrated that ties at industrial level are continuing to be strengthened. Douglas Barrie and Alexander Velovich report from Moscow. Soyuz in Textron Lycoming link Russia's Aero Engine Technical Complex Soyuz (AESTC Soyuz) and Textron Lycoming are to co-operate on a series of engine-development and marketing projects target ed at the commercial-aviation market in the CIS, China and Eastern Europe. The structure of the co operation has not yetbeen com pletely defined, but the subjects of the joint efforts include par ticipation in the development of future engine programmes P&W progresses Perm redesign Pratt & Whitney has released details of the long-awaited tie-up with Russian engine makers Perm and Aviadvigatel for a radical redesign of the Perm PS-90A turbofan. Under the auspices of what P&W views as a "strategic joint venture", the company will invest $120-150 million in the development of the PS-90. The Russian engine developer was also being courted by General Electric and Snecma. Thomas Hajek, P&W pro gramme director for interna tional business ventures, says that the redesign will include " ... modified fan with new blades and re-contoured exit guide vanes". The low-pressure compres sor (LPC) will be re-bladed and the number of stages increased from two to four. The changes to the LPC are aimed, says Hajek, at increasing efficiency and stability, provid ing a lower rotating speed. P&W and its Russian part ners are aiming initially to test run the PS-90P in the fourth quarter of 1995, with certifica tion of the engine following 12 months later. Other modifications to the engine include changingthe low-pressure shaft from a three-piece to single-part design. The high- and low- pressure turbines will be re- bladed, with the latter work being carried out by P&Ws German partner, MTU. The PS-90P is aimed pri marily at the Ilyushin 11-76, II- 96 and Tupolev Tu-204. Development by the joint venture of the PS-90P will bring it into direct competition with the P&W 2337, which is now going through certifica tion on the I1-96M. Hajek hopes that the PS-90P will find a market on the Tu- 204, claiming that it will offer better fuel consumption. The PS-90 is offered on the Tu-204 as an alternative to the Rolls- Royce RB.211-535E4. Beyond the PS90P, Hajek envisages several projects, the first two or three of which are already under evaluation. One would see P&W and Perm develop a next-generation engine to replace the PS-90P and, possibly, the PW2000. • such as the Soyuz R126 region al turbofan and the Lycoming LF512 turbofan and LP512 turboprop. The Russian tie-up coincided with Lycoming's acquisition by AlliedSignal. In the near term, the two companies plan to co-operate in the production, certification, marketing and support of the Lycoming LF507, which is being offered for various pro- jectsto Russian aircraft design bureaux Yakovlev, Tupolev, Sukhoi and Ilyushin. According to Alexander Zhirnov, Soyuz deputy general designer, the initial hope of penetrating the Russian market lay with Yakovlev, where Lycoming has been discussing the possibility of re-engineing the Yak-40 regional jet with a pair of LF507s. The two companies may seek US Government funds, available for the conversion of the Russian defence industry to the commercial market. Soyuz, renowned for its development of engines for Mikoyan fighters like the MiG-21 and MiG-27, is an obvious contender for a por tion of the money. William Diekmann, manag er of new-business develop ment at Textron Lycoming, says: "We have not formally applied for any such assistance — however, we are very aware of the process. We think it is a very viable path for us to pur sue at the appropriate time." Vasily Kobtchenko, the Soyuz general designer, says: "This alliance between Soyuz and Lycoming will offer sub stantial benefits to Russian manufacturers of regional and executive-jet aircraft." • First propfan test flight postponed The TRUD/Samara engine-design bureau has delayed the first test flight of its NK-93 propfan by at least 12 months, as it struggles for funding. The bureau now aims to fly the NK-93 on an Ilyushin IL-76 testbed at the Zhukovsky Research centre in 1995. A TRUD official says that the project is almost "running on enthusiasm", adding that the projected 11-106 military transport, at which the NK-93 is aimed, has "no money". The design bureau has received a trickle of state fund ing for the NK-93 and it is now hoping to develop the engine for the Tupolev Tu-204 and Ilyushin 11-96. Officials also say that TRUD has ceased production of the NK-231-augmented turbojet which powers the Tupolev Tu- 160 Blackjack bomber. • 11-76 transports to be re-engined Aeroflot Russian Inter national Airlines (ARIA) is to re-engine 20 of its fleet of Ilyushin 11-76 transports with the Perm PS-90 turbofan. Genrich Novozhilov, Ilyushin's general designer, says that the company has received a contract from ARIA for the conversion. The PS-90A, which replaces the Aviadvigatel D-30s, will improve the aircraft's range and take-off weight. Conversion work, says Novozhilov, will be carried out at Jjokovo Airport near Moscow. The site already undertakes 11-76 maintenance. A new pylon for the engine is being designed at the 11-76 production plant in Tashkent. Novozhilov adds that Ilyushin is aiming for a maiden flight of its stretched and re-engined 11-76, dubbed the I1-76MF, before the end of this year. The aircraft will also be fitted with the PS- 90A and, possibly, the PS-90P. It also has a 6.3m fuselage extension. Unlike the conver sion of the ARIA aircraft, the I1-76MF will be a completely new airframe. D PS-90 will give II-76 longer legs FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 18 - 24 May, 1994
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