Page 14 - AAA MARCH-APRIL 2012 Online Magazine

FEATURE ENGINES

such as carbon fiber composites stipulate,” says P&W’s Katy Padgett, P&W Another CFM turbofan
and ceramic matrix composites will Global Service Partners, Commercial rolls off the production
enable our LEAP engine to provide up Engines & Global Services. line. The company
produces around 1300
to 15% better fuel efficiency,” asserts “That key technology behind the engines every year
Jamie Jewell, Director, Strategic PW1000G - the fan drive gearbox -
Communications at CFM International. enables the fan to run at its optimum
The company’s parents, GE and Snecma, rotational speed, while the turbine can
spend a combined total of US$1-2billion (still) operate at its most efficient speed,”
U.S. annually on technology research and she explains. This fine-tuning of the
development. She says that the latest rotating blade speed also helps efficiency
materials they have developed are so to indirectly reduce CO2 by up to 3600 tons
durable that their new LEAP composite per year. Many see this as an increasingly
fan will not have any life limits at all – it important factor with “green consumers”
can be used infinitely, in theory. opting for less environmentally damaging
solutions when they choose their travel.
Gearing Up This trend towards “greener” engines
On the other side of the research lab, is underscored by the CAFE (Comparative
new approaches such Pratt & Whitney’s Aircraft Flight Efficiency) Foundation’s
PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ (GTF) Google-sponsored Green Flight
are likewise clamouring for attention. Challenge. For the Challenge, NASA and
P&W claims the GTF is the most fuel
efficient commercial engine of all time –
even better than the turbo-props used in
short haul aircraft. Time in Market
Currently undergoing certification, Rolls Royce uses a different approach Jim Sheard, ensures the company’s
P&W expects the new PW1000G engine to engine costing. Its TotalCare® interests are aligned with the interests
to enter service in 2013, and when it does programme guarantees to customers of the airlines and the flying public.
to cut fuel burn rates by up to 16percent, that the engines will be available “Because we only make money by
preventing disruption,” he points out.
when they want them to fly - and
compared to the best-performing the customers only pay a fixed rate This is, says Hedges, a total ‘win-win’
current turbofan engines. “The other per actual flying hour. This, says dynamic, uniting engine maker and
big advantage is the noise; it is 15dB – Rolls-Royce’s Senior Vice President, airline in the desire to keep the engines
20 dB lower than the latest regulations Customer Strategy & Marketing,

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