GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Initiative aimed at power requirements for future 150-seaters with reduction in fuel, noise and emission levels
International Aero Engines (IAE) is homing in on preferred engine solutions, including geared-fan concepts, for its Vista initiative which is designed to position the consortium for the next 20 years.
"We are converging on an engine architecture," says IAE product marketing and development manager Peter Johnston, who adds that the outline entry-into-service target is "around 2010" with a 50-year life expectancy beyond that. Configuration studies are being undertaken by a planning team drawn from the partners - Japan Aero Engines, MTU, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce.
Main options include an advanced, ungeared engine, possibly using a version of the very high-performance compressor technology under development in MTU's Engine 3E (E3E) development programme. The other main alternative is a geared design building on work now under way at P&W and P&W Canada on the PW800/Advanced Fan Technology Integration (AFTI). The engine is expected to bridge the gap between the 8,000lb (36kN) thrust PW300 family and the 20,000lb thrust PW6000, but uses a FiatAvio gear system which can be scaled up. Other elements, including swept fan designs, are also likely to come from the R-R-led Affordable Near Term Low Emissions (ANTLE) programme.
Johnston says IAE is focusing on power requirements for future 150-seaters, and not specific thrust categories. Performance targets against a baseline of the production V2500 include a 5% reduction in fuel consumption, 20% lower nitrous oxide emissions and lower noise levels, well below Chapter 4. A variant of P&W's TALON low-emissions combustor is also a consideration.
Vista, which is also aimed at long-term improvements in processes and people, embraces plans for greater reliability and reduced maintenance costs. IAE's total maintenance cost reduction plan has already cut costs for the V2500 family by 20% against a 1999 baseline, and is targeted at 30%, says Johnston.
Source: Flight International
