Guy Norris/MONTREAL
Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has completed the preliminary design of its proposed PW6XX light turbine engine and expects to begin demonstrator runs of a turbofan variant in 2001.
The engine maker says that a 30-month development effort could begin early next year if it succeeds in on-going talks to develop the PW6XX for a "major OEM [original equipment manufacturer]".
P&WC declines to identify the airframe maker, but says talks could be concluded by the end of this year. Talks with potential industrial partners are also under way, P&WC says, but it will not comment on rumours of negotiations with Honda Motor of Japan.
Honda has consistently shown interest in small turbofans, having tested an 1,800lb thrust (8kN), engine in the USA in 1996. Honda developed the engine over a 10-year period before the test phase, undertaken in conjunction with Mississippi State University. The partners had planned to build a small experimental research aircraft, the MH-02.
Discussions with the potential launch manufacturer have also led to P&WC raising its original thrust targets to the upper end of the power bracket first outlined when it launched the PW6XX study in 1998. The original focus was on a turbofan at between 1,000lb and 2,000lb thrust, with a dry weight of 160-180kg (350-400lb).
Anthony Cristofaro, P&WC's powerplant marketing manager, says: "We are considering expanding up to between 2,400lb and 2,500lb thrust."
P&WC admits "interest in the 6XX is tremendous" and plans to target aircraft below Cessna's Citation CJ1 and Raytheon's Premier 1 entry level business jet, but adds that most of the proposed aircraft programmes suggested for the PW6XX are unworkable.
P&WC, which has been running several core demonstrators, plans to use the same gas generator to form the basis for new turboprop and turboshaft designs, as well as a family of turbofans. The turboprop and turboshaft derivatives are expected to be in the 450kW (600shp) to 670kW power range with a specific fuel consumption target 20% lower than current P&WC engines in their class.
Although P&WC declines to give details of the turbofan configuration, it is believed to be a 4:1 bypass ratio design with five stages, featuring two counter-rotating shafts and a small, wide-chord fan.
The low-pressure shaft supports a single-stage compressor and turbine, while the high-pressure shaft similarly supports single compressor and turbine stages.
Source: Flight International
