Alan Dron
Members of the Avro RJX programme team will be exchanging the current damp UK summer for the heat of Arizona imminently, following successful completion of a preliminary design review of the aircraft's integrated powerplant system, it was announced at the show yesterday.
The team, which has been working at British Aerospace Regional Aircraft's Woodford, UK, engineering centre, has developed an engineering mock-up of the AlliedSignal AS977 engine, nacelle and pylon installation.
The next step will be to move to AlliedSignal Engines' base at Tempe, Arizona, for a six-week engine build-up phase, to finalise the module installation within the underwing nacelle. It has also defined the engineering work packages for the three companies involved in the project: BAe Regional Aircraft, AlliedSignal and GKN Westland.
First run of the new AlliedSignal AS900 series engine is due for July. During that month, a further programme review will be conducted. A launch decision on the RJX is due this autumn.
Source: Flight Daily News
