Superpilot92

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...-turbofan.html

Northwest, easyJet praise P&W's geared turbofan
By Megan Kuhn

More airlines have expressed interest in Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine, the engine selected to power the Bombardier CSeries and the Mitsubishi Regional Jet.

UK budget carrier EasyJet and US major Northwest Airlines made their remarks in a P&W statement released following the engine maker’s next generation technology symposium in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Northwest was previously identified as a potential CSeries customer to replace the carrier’s fleet of aging McDonnell Douglas DC-9s


© Bombardier



“The environmental benefits of the geared turbofan engine are significant and timely in the current world of exorbitant fuel prices and environmental sensitivity,” Northwest director of powerplant and component engineering Bob Pekarek.

He added: “I was impressed at how quiet the geared turbofan engine was at idle and full take-off power, requiring only minimal hearing protection and allowing the ability to hold a conversation while the engine was running at those high speeds. Typically, being that close to an engine at take off power requires maximum hearing protection and there is no chance of holding a conversation. The dramatically reduced fuel burn, noise and emissions of the geared turbofan engine are significant advantages.”

However, the SkyTeam alliance member and EasyJet stopped short of signing orders for a GTF-powered aircraft.

“It is truly impressive to see the amount of time, resource and money Pratt & Whitney is devoting to the geared turbofan engine program,” EasyJet strategic planning manager Hal Calamvokis says. “Considering the cost and environmental challenges facing this industry what we need is action-not talk-and I commend Pratt & Whitney for putting their money where their mouth is.”

P&W is completing Phase II ground testing on the GTF to determine engine performance and acoustic characteristics with a flight-capable nacelle system prior to mid-year flight testing. The demonstrator engine has logged about 200 hours since ground testing started.

As previously reported, US lessor International Lease Finance (ILFC) has indicated interest in becoming a launch customer for the CSeries and Lufthansa says it is “considering” the aircraft.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence News

11Fan

That would be a nice airplane for you guys.

You sure got your money's worth out of the DC-9's though. I doubt anything else will ever last that long, and stay in service like you guys use it.

MoonShot

Hows that airplane compare to an E190? Are those still on the drawing board or are they moving ahead with developement?

Superpilot92

i read an article on it recently that they are going forward with it. I will look for the article.

HercDriver130

With the Geared turbofan its certainly more efficient.

Superpilot92

http://www.bombardier.com/index.jsp?.../3_8/3_8_1.jsp

Bombardier Grants Authority to Offer CSeries - the new Generation Five-Abreast Commercial Aircraft

Montréal, February 22, 2008
The 2013 CSeries aircraft design incorporates latest technologies, generating unmatched economic and environmental benefits:

* New, largely composite and aluminum-lithium alloy structure
* Latest systems include fly-by-wire combined with fourth-generation aerodynamics
* Pratt & Whitney's next-generation high by-pass Geared TurbofanTM engine

CSeries family of 110- and 130-seat aircraft will produce:

* Up to 20% lower fuel burn
* Unmatched reductions in noise and emissions
* Unprecedented combination of airfield and range performance
* Up to 15% better overall cash operating costs

Bombardier announced today that its Board of Directors has granted Bombardier Aerospace the authority to offer formal sales proposals of the optimized CSeries aircraft family to airline customers. The aircraft will incorporate the latest technology available to produce the economic, performance, environmental and passenger-oriented improvements demanded by airline customers for the next quarter century. Entry into service is scheduled for 2013.

Authority to offer is the next important step in the process that leads to program launch. Before requesting program launch approval from the Bombardier Board of Directors, Bombardier Aerospace will obtain firm commitments from customers. A launch decision is expected in 2008.

"The CSeries aircraft will benefit from the latest technological advancements, including: increased use of composites and aluminum lithium in structures; a next-generation engine - the Pratt & Whitney Geared TurbofanTM; and the very latest in system technologies, such as fly-by-wire, and fourth-generation aerodynamics. Together, these advancements will produce up to 20 per cent better fuel burn and up to 15 per cent improved cash operating costs versus current in-production aircraft of similar size," said Pierre Beaudoin, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace.

"Our decision to continue refining our business plan over the last two years has proven to be the right one. It has allowed us to take advantage of new technologies and to meet the airlines' evolving requirements for future efficient five-abreast aircraft. Airlines worldwide have expressed their keen interest to receive formal sales proposals from us," he added.

"We are delighted that Bombardier's Board of Directors has given authorization to offer the CSeries aircraft, and we are excited to partner with Bombardier in discussions with airlines and operators around the world," said Todd Kallman, President, Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines. "The game-changing performance of the Pratt & Whitney Geared TurbofanTM engine, combined with the new generation design of the CSeries aircraft, will bring double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency, environmental emissions, noise and operating costs to CSeries customers."

"Lufthansa's focus is on a sustainable fleet development providing flexibility for the future. This includes, amongst others, the assessment of technology, reliability, environmental footprint, economics and passenger comfort. We are considering the CSeries family of aircraft in our broader evaluation of opportunities for the lower end of the single-aisle fleet because its proposed advantages could be attractive to us," said Nico Buchholz, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Fleet, Lufthansa.

"The CSeries aircraft's 2013 entry into service date suits us very well. We envisage an order for 20 aircraft," said Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Airways.

"We are very interested in the aircraft and have been looking at the CSeries program very carefully," said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, Chairman and CEO/Founder of the giant lessor company International Lease Finance Corporation. "ILFC is not only considering buying the aircraft, we could become a co-launch customer. However, other major airlines need to sign up to the program as well. We would like to see a North American, European and possibly Asian customer," he added.

The Bombardier CSeries aircraft family is specifically designed for the lower end of the 100- to 149-seat market segment, estimated at 5,900 aircraft - or $250 billion US - over the next 20 years. Bombardier's target is to capture half this market.

rickair7777

What I'm looking forward to is watching boeing's (and airbuse's) reaction to an RJ manufacturer's incursion on the bottom fringe of their market...

But the GTF is a significant technological jump, as opposed to the careful and gradual evolution process traditionally used by airframers.

Eric Stratton

doesn't nwa have negotiated pay rates for that size airplane already?

are they the same as the dc-9?

Tomcat

Delta has pay rates for the EMB-190, EMB-195 & CRJ900 on our present contract. I've spoken with my Reps and wrote the Union today regarding the importance of capturing this market segment. Our pay rates on these airframes are competitive for the industry. The EMB payrates are slightly below Air Canada, better than US Air EMB-190's. Pay will be closer with LOA 19 and perhaps even better if we can come to an equitable SLI with the NW pilot group and then hammer out a joint contract.

FWIW, I look forward to getting these negotiations behind us and flying with some old Navy buddies from NWA.

Tomcat
LAX 767B