Page 16 - AAA MARCH-APRIL 2012 Online Magazine

FEATURE ENGINES

Training engineers
on new designs
demands serious
investment, as at
Seletar

required in a conventional turbofan. This line, one that has the industry’s highest
minimised design approach certainly reliability and longest time on wing. “Most
cuts down on the engineering complexity CFM56 engines being delivered today will
– but puts a crucial degree of reliance on stay on wing until the first shop visit in 8 or
the central gearbox which has to offer 9 years,” she added. Which adds up to very
100% reliability. low maintenance costs.
The fact the geared PW1000G doubles
the bypass ratio to 12 to 1 means that Cheap Fixers?
the engine runs cooler, leading to longer However, with such highly complex –
on wing time and higher reliability. CFM and highly stressed – machines like
International, the joint GE/SNECMA aircraft engines, the quality of servicing Singapore offers
partnership, claims that its strategy is, everybody agrees, paramount. Engine highly competitive
of making power plants that highlight failures are extremely rare, and resulting skills, a business
simplicity and durability also leads to accidents even more so. And that is
longer wing time and real cost savings in down to the people who design and friendly environment
the MRO department. maintain them – now a global workforce, a strong focus on R&D,
“CFM has always focused on providing not just a western speciality say most
its customers highly efficient engines manufacturers. So it’s no longer just and proximity to the
that also maintain the lowest overall cost Seattle and Derby, by any means. Asia Pacific region
of ownership,” says CFM International’s “We think that the (engineering)
Jewell. She notes that this focus workforce is very skilled in China and India,”
manifests itself through a very simple, notes CFM International’s Jewell. “Both GE - Jim Sheard, SVP Customer
durable design for the CFM56 product and Snecma have R&D relationships in both Strategy & Marketing, Rolls-Royce

GEARED EXPENSES
The geared turbofan being pioneered by Pratt & Whitney (the PW1000G)
offers several bonuses compared to standard Turbofan. Expected in
2013, it offers:
• 16% lower fuel consumption
• 15-20dB lower noise emmissions
• 50% lower NOx emissions
• 7 moving core parts give lower MRO costs

16 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS MARCH / APRIL 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM