Page 5 - AAA MARCH - APRIL 2015 Online Magazine

FEATURE AERO ENGINES
FEATURE AERO ENGINES

Propulsive Power

Aero engines for future growth
By JK Chandra
A BOOM IN COMMERCIAL jETLINER families, such as the Airbus A320neo
orders, underway since 2010, and one (new engine option), A330neo, Boeing 737
that could last till the end of this decade, MAX and 777X. Airlines have responded
has helped aero engine manufacturers enthusiastically to these offerings,
proceed with new engine developments helping rake in record orders and maintain
at unprecedented levels of expense and strong order books for both aircraft
risk. The development costs for a new manufacturers and engine providers.
generation of aero-engines such as the The single-aisle or narrow-body segment
CFM International Leading Edge Aviation drives the volumes for engine makers;
Propulsion (LEAP), Pratt & Whitney (P&W) accounting for 70 percent by volume and
Geared Turbofan (GTF), Rolls Royce (RR) 50 percent by value for engine deliveries.
Trent XWB and General Electric GE9X, The exorbitant cost of new aero
have run into billions of dollars. The prize engine development has also marked
is a lion’s share of the global civil engine the beginning of a trend, where future
market that Rolls Royce estimates, will be wide-body commercial jetliners are
worth approximately, “$1,900 billion over likely to hit the market with only one
the next 20 years, with $1,250 billion being engine type on offer. Clean sheet designs
Design of next- for original equipment (OE) and $650 are increasingly rare when it comes to
generation aero billion for aftermarket services.” commercial jetliners, Bombardier which
engines is already The enormous expenses and aimed to corner a substantial portion of
underway. A Rolls- technological challenges in developing the 100-149 seat single aisle market, has
Royce 747 flying
test bed at Tucson, all new commercial jetliners, has seen encountered difficulties with its CSeries.
Arizona with CTi fan aircraft manufacturers collaborate to Unlike the A320neo which offers two
blades incorporated a greater extent than ever before, with engine options in the CFM LEAP and P&W
into a Trent 1000 aero engine manufacturers. This has led PurePower GTF, the CSeries will use only
donor engine to improved variants of existing aircraft the Pure Power PW1500G, Boeing’s 737
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