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Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) due to the
sustainability of its feedstock.

“The GTF Advantage represents the greenest,
lowest emission engine in the industry, and it is
now demonstrating full operational capability
for the greenest aviation fuels of today and
tomorrow. Operation on 100 percent SAF is a
key component of the industry’s commitment
to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the
completion of these tests get us closer to that
goal,” said Graham Webb, chief sustainability
officer at Pratt & Whitney.

Since they first entered service in early 2016,
operators have saved more than two billion
litres of fuel using GTF engines and avoided
more than six million metric tonnes of carbon growth and future development. “Our gear system, and the over-
emissions. These engines have also reduced all engine architecture it enables, are foundational to unlock the
their noise footprint by 75 percent and regu- benefits of advanced aerodynamics, materials and systems. We
lated emissions by 50 percent to the CAEP/6 are committed to continuing to invest in these technologies for the
regulatory standard. In the future, hybrid-elec- next generation of commercial aircraft,” said Tom Pelland, senior
tric propulsion systems, even more efficient vice president of GTF Engines at Pratt & Whitney.
turbines, and advanced materials for engine
components play a critical role in improving All key components of the core GTF engine are receiving technical
engine efficiency, Webb said. “We are develop- improvements for the GTF Advantage configuration which features
ing a regional aircraft scale hybrid-electric flight technology enhancements throughout the engine core. Pratt &
demonstrator to target a 30 per cent reduction Whitney has already completed over a year of ground and flight
in fuel burn and CO2 emissions, with plans to testing for the. Extensive endurance testing for high durability will
eventually apply this technology to larger air- allow Pratt & Whitney deliver mature dispatch reliability on par with
craft,” he added. V2500 engines.

In an effort to further reduce weight and Germany’s leading engine manufacturer, MTU Aero Engines has
improve thermal efficiency in turbofan engines, been tasked with optimizing the high-pressure compressor and
Pratt & Whitney is partnering with NASA on new high-speed low-pressure turbine, in keeping with its workshares in
ceramic matrix composites (CMC) engine core the original GTF programme. The turbine’s resistance to wear has
technologies. The engine marker’s recently also been increased here as well. “With the high-pressure com-
opened new CMC research and development pressor, the focus is on further improving efficiency, which makes a
facility in Carlsbad, California USA, will focus noteworthy contribution to reducing the specific fuel consumption
solely on engineering, development and low- and above all, lowering temperatures in the hot section,” said Dr.
rate production of next-generation CMCs which Stefan Weber, Senior Vice President Engineering and Technology
will be able to withstand higher temperatures, at MTU. “The design has also been made more resistant to damage
allowing engines to operate more efficiently. in the area of the blisk rotors that can occur when the engine is in
operation.” Improving the efficiency of the high-speed low-pressure
Commitment to Performance turbine is another key area, for which Weber said, the higher-per-
Pratt & Whitney had always been confident of formance active clearance control is a major factor.
the geared fan architecture’s long runway for
In its Advantage configuration, the GTF engine will be the most
powerful engine for the A320neo family, with up to 34,000 pounds
of take-off thrust per engine at sea level. This will make the engine,
the preferred choice for airline customers requiring higher thrust
for operations not only at “hot and high” airports but also at sea
level as it will allow for increased range and payload capability.
According to Pratt & Whitney, the new engine will deliver significant
improvements in high altitude take-off thrust and also deliver more
thrust at lower temperatures. GTF engines currently power three
single-aisle jetliner families in the Airbus A320neo, Airbus A220
and Embraer E-Jets E2. These engine today power over 1,100
aircraft from 58 airlines.
ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE June_July 2022 | 17