Airbus has started development flight testing on Pratt & Whitney’s GTF Advantage™ engine on an A320neo aircraft. The engine will be tested in a variety of environments including both hot and cold weather operation from high-altitude airports.
On Tuesday (October 4, 2022), Pratt & Whitney announced that Airbus has started development flight testing of the GTF Advantage engine on an A320neo. The testing campaign will continue to mature to include hot and cold weather operation from high-altitude airports. The flight test campaign is part of ongoing product development by Pratt & Whitney and Airbus. Certification of the engine will continue through 2023, including flights currently being conducted on Pratt & Whitney’s flying test bed in Mirabel, Québec, Canada, along with extensive endurance testing to ensure product maturity at entry into service. Thus far, the engine has completed 2,400 hours and 7,800 cycles of testing, including a successful test on 100 percent SAF.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Pratt & Whitney’s President of Commercial Engines, Rick Deurloo, said,
“GTF engines already offer the lowest fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for the A320neo family. The GTF Advantage engine extends that lead. It also enhances aircraft capability by increasing thrust and protects durability by running cooler. For airlines, this means new revenue opportunities and better operating economics. Our revolutionary geared fan architecture is the foundation for more sustainable aviation technologies in the decades ahead, and the GTF Advantage engine is the next step in that journey.”
Compared to the current GTF engine, the GTF Advantage will lower fuel and CO2 emissions by up to one percent. The new generation engine is also capable of a takeoff thrust improvement of four percent at sea level, potentially enabling longer range and higher payload, making it particularly attractive for Airbus A321XLR aircraft, and unlocking more destinations for operators. Additionally, the GTF Advantage will offer a thrust increase of up to eight percent at higher altitudes. As an added benefit, the GTF Advantage will be intermixable and interchangeable with the current GTF engine, ensuring maximum operational flexibility.
A division of Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE: RTX), Pratt & Whitney is a global leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft and helicopter engines and auxiliary power units (APUs) for commercial, military, regional, business and general aviation aircraft. Pratt & Whitney is known for their innovative technologies such as the Geared Turbofan (GTF) commercial aircraft engine and the PW800 business jet engine.
Source: Pratt & Whitney