I wonder if propfan will ever make it here in the US.

"However, propfan research has continued under the direction of NASA in the United States and other research institutions in Europe and Russia throughout the 1990s. Because these engines offer significant improvements in fuel efficiency, they have been seriously considered by a number of aircraft manufacturers. Only Antonov in Ukraine has gone so far as to incorporate propfans into a production aircraft called the An-70, but several other manufacturers may follow suit. The propfan may be particularly attractive to the commuter aircraft market. "
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