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<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=1">Aero Magazine 1 news, views & interviews no 1 | 20</a> 09 three engineS that may change the future of aviation the gaMe changer bombardier’s cseries – an improvement in many areas european Space prograMMe volvo aero contributing to next launcher generation Marga Blivier, MSi Keeping customers Airborne
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=2">Aero Magazine Page 2 2 aero | contents news, views</a> & interviews editor & responsible under swedish law: fredrik fryklund editorial address: volvo aero corporation, dept. 1500, se-461 81 trollhättan, sweden phone: 46 520 94401 fax: 46 520 98500 email: fredrik.fryklund@volvo.com editorial project management and production: tidningskompaniet ab project manager: Jenny palm design & layout: tidningskompaniet ab www.tidningskompaniet.com translated by: Jeanette Kliger and lionbridge repro: tidningskompaniet ab printed by: trydells, laholm, sweden print run: 13,000 front cover: Karsten thormaehlen read the magazine online at: http://www.volvoaero.com Would you like a copy of the magazine or have you changed address? please contact us at: volvo.aero@volvo.com or fax 46 520 985 00 20 contents no. 1 | 2009 8 14 18 20 24 27 30 34 36 37 4 take off the contenders – three engines strive to be first choice Pratt & whitney’s president – confident in a strong recovery cSeries – changing the game in 2012 Space invaders – the next generation of launchers noise reduction – research for the sound of silence marga Blivier’s mSi – always on standby the circle of life – designing for dismantling Supporting clean Sky – Vinnova promotes research Volvo aero Services – practically everywhere the dreamliner – about to hit the skies 40 landing | | 43 new in-flight communication 24 27 2 aero | contents news, views & interviews editor & responsible under swedish law: fredrik fryklund editorial address: volvo aero corporation, dept. 1500, se-461 81 trollhättan, sweden phone: 46 520 94401 fax: 46 520 98500 email: fredrik.fryklund@volvo.com editorial project management and production: tidningskompaniet ab project manager: Jenny palm design & layout: tidningskompaniet ab www.tidningskompaniet.com translated by: Jeanette Kliger and lionbridge repro: tidningskompaniet ab printed by: trydells, laholm, sweden print run: 13,000 front cover: Karsten thormaehlen read the magazine online at: http://www.volvoaero.com Would you like a copy of the magazine or have you changed address? please contact us at: volvo.aero@volvo.com or fax 46 520 985 00 20 contents no. 1 | 2009 8 14 18 20 24 27 30 34 36 37 4 take off the contenders – three engines strive to be first choice Pratt & whitney’s president – confident in a strong recovery cSeries – changing the game in 2012 Space invaders – the next generation of launchers noise reduction – research for the sound of silence marga Blivier’s mSi – always on standby the circle of life – designing for dismantling Supporting clean Sky – Vinnova promotes research Volvo aero Services – practically everywhere the dreamliner – about to hit the skies 40 landing | | 43 new in-flight communication 24 27
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=3">Aero Magazine Page 3 contents | aero 3 editoriAl W</a> e should be grateful for extra on-board charges d uring the spring, the managing director of Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, announced that the company would soon be charging passengers to use the lavatories on its aircraft. Shortly after this announcement was published by all the different media, O’Leary explained that it was just a PR gimmick to create interest in Ryanair. I am not completely sure about which parts of this story are true and false, but it is nonetheless interesting to note the dramatic changes that have been made in recent years to the conditions facing aircraft passengers. the Starting point is the airlines’ need to cut their costs and this is an area in which the low-cost airlines are constantly leading the way. While ticket prices are sometimes amazingly low, they are joined by a raft of astounding additional costs. If you want to know where you will be sitting on the aircraft, it costs more. If you want to eat or drink something, it costs more. Taking a case that needs to be checked in costs more. If you pay by card (which is the only alternative), it costs more. The list is far longer than this. Several airlines have recently announced that people who are overweight may be forced to pay for two tickets if they take up too much room. it iS naturally eaSy for the rest of us to joke about the creativity of the airlines in this area. How many of us have in fact come up with new suggestions for increasing revenue: a ticket price that is partly governed by your weight, an extra charge to use the seatbelt (which you are obliged to do), a charge for the amount of oxygen you plan to inhale during the flight and so on. In actual fact, it is a good thing that airlines, and the low-cost ones in particular, are active and show what cost effectiveness means in practice. Nothing is sacred – and this is a really good attitude when you want to create the conditions for long-term success, regardless of the industry in which you operate. 8 14 i aM convinced that many other industries would be far more successful if they were prepared to sacrifice their sacred cows and not take things for granted. “But we have always…” must not be allowed to be a powerful argument when a company looks for new ways to both survive and be successful. All of us in the aircraft engine industry who are dependent on the success of the airlines have a particularly good reason to be grateful that they are creative and do everything in their power to be economically successful. fredrik fryklund, editor
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=4">Aero Magazine Page 4 4 aero | tAKe off volvo aero </a> ge aviation appoints volvo aero Services as a preferred distributor one of the trespassers at Volvo aero moose at Volvo Aero at the end of March, volvo aero in trollhättan, sweden, had some very unexpected visitors, when two moose calves got lost and found their way onto the site. they ran around and became extremely stressed and, after an hour or so, they were put down by special huntsmen from the local authority whose assistance had been requested. this was not the first time the king of the forest had visited volvo aero. in october 2000, a male moose, with six tines on its antlers, entered the site. it also had to be put down. its antlers can now be seen by every visitor arriving at reception. volvo aero signs contract with Sr technics volvo aero ServiceS corp. has signed a three year contract with sr technics to provide exclu- sive redistribution services. the material covers a broad spectrum of aircraft types including the 737, 757, 767, a320 and md11. the total size of the inventory exceeds 12,000 items and the material will be predominantly located in boca raton, fl. of engine parts volvo aero ServiceS and ge aviation have signed a five year agreement for distribution of certain low volume new and used parts for cf34, cfm56, and cf6 engines. volvo aero services will provide asset management services, which includes forecasting, planning, marketing, warehouse and distribution elements. the focus on certain low volume material will complement ge aviation’s existing new and used high volume parts distribution network. “We are honoured to complement the serv- ices that ge aviation currently offers as a global leader in this industry,” says claes malmros, president and ceo of volvo aero services. “We strongly believe that this distribution relationship will open the doors to future opportunities that will be mutually beneficial.” “ge aviation is pleased to have volvo aero services join our commitment to make new and used oem parts readily available to customers throughout the world,” said bill millhaem, general manager of material at ge aviation. ge aviation, an operating unit of general electric company, is a world- leading provider of commercial and military jet engines and components as well as avionics, electric power, and mechanical systems for aircraft. ge aviation also has a global service network to support these offerings. end of maintenance era for Jt8d in 1966, the Jt8d became volvo aero’s first commercial maintenance programme. the last of these engines has now left the workshop. during the past 43 years, 1,394 engines have visited the workshop. important customers have included sterling airways, maersk, braathens, orion, sas, saudia, european air transport (dhl) and transmile. “We have made a fantastic journey over the past 43 years,” said volvo the final Jt8d delivery was celebrated in cake. aero’s president, staffan Zackrisson, when he spoke at the farewell ceremony prior to the final Jt8d delivery. “this has been a large and important programme and it has laid the foundations for engine skills and expertise that have also benefited other business operations within the company.” today volvo aero’s commercial maintenance offer includes the pW100series, now also with the pW127g/J/m, the honeywell tfe731-series and the industrial gas turbines lm1600 and dr990, as well as repairs of engine components.
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=5">Aero Magazine Page 5 | aero 5 Students’ assignment</a> : cleaner flights it iS a well-known fact that the aircraft industry is working intensively to reduce emissions and noise, but students have now also become involved in this. students at the luleå university of technology are currently conducting a project on behalf of volvo aero which is focusing on these aspects. their assignment is to further de- Standing, from left to right: mats-olov hansson, aurelien tricoire, Stig andersson, fredrik almroth and Jimmy Johansson. Sitting, from left to right: håkan ljung, martin andreasson and Svante magnusson first Sgt800 part has been delivered to Siemens volvo aero recently delivered its first part for the sgt800, a stationary gas turbine. earlier that week, siemens approved the first of three sgt800 parts. last year, volvo aero’s thermal spray department signed a seven-year agreement with siemens relating to the sgt800. it previously had contracts with siemens for the sgt600 and sgt700. as a result of the new agreement, siemens is volvo aero’s largest customer in this area. “We have been commissioned to apply a thermal barrier coating, tbc, together with some other coatings. We have been supplying siemens for many years, but this is a new engine and the special thing in this case is that we are applying a thick, porous tbc,” explains project manager mats-olov hansson. velop volvo aero’s production concept. the final objective is lighter, more fuelefficient, more effective aircraft engines which will then help to reduce emissions and noise from aircraft and benefit the environment. the team of students comprises one female and seven males, all of whom are in their final year of the university’s engineering programme. the assignment involves driving the entire project from planning, contacting companies, writing reports and drawing up budgets to the design and production of a prototype that will be delivered to volvo aero. volvo aero is one of the companies with which the luleå university of technology has been collaborating for many years on different research projects and other projects in which the company has commissioned students for product development assignments of different kinds. several of the students who have been involved in these projects over the years now work at volvo aero. volvo aero presents ‘lightweight’ award in the face of extremely fierce competition, the gp7000 turbine exhaust case (tec) has been presented with the 2009 volvo aero technology award. Within the gp7000 engine programme, volvo aero is developing a tec, turbine exhaust case, which will replace the current version. production will begin in 2010 at volvo aero. the design is based on a unique lightweight concept which is a further development of volvo aero’s technology platform focusing on fabricated tec products. the most important technological advances are as follows. n Weight has been reduced by some 10–15 per cent compared with current tec designs. n service life has been significantly increased, without any extra mainten ance on the component. this has been made possible by a unique concept based on small welded castings, forged and shaped metal parts, where the production process has been secured by welding and forming simulation. repairs – new offer from volvo aero volvo aero iS now gathering its broad-based skills and expertise to develop unique repair concepts for a number of specially selected components. the company has many years’ experience in the development and manufacture of components for the aircraft and gas turbine industries and it is at the cutting edge when it comes to new technologies. the call for repairs to expensive components is being stepped up the whole time. “this has inspired us to develop our repair programmes and give new life to parts that are currently scrapped. in the case of some components, there is also a need to develop new, more sustainable, cost-effective repairs,” explains göran nordén, vice president marketing & sales engine services. in the future, repairs will be an important part of commercial engine maintenance for volvo aero. left to right: martin nilsson, aerothermo lead, dan gustafsson, design lead, henrik lindström, engineering team lead, magnus Berglund, Project manager, Staffan Zackrisson, President & ceo, hasse lindell, manufacturing team lead, Roger Sjöqvist, Structures lead, thomas Sätmark, engineering & technology, and fredrik kullenberg, engineering team lead
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=6">Aero Magazine Page 6 6 aero | tAKe off volvo World</a> -famous ship receives Volvo penta engine Jacques cousteau aboard the Calypso the reSearch veSSel, the Calypso, became world famous in connection with the pioneering work of Jacques-yves cousteau, the underwater photographer. she is now going to be restored and equipped with engines from volvo penta. the Calypso was made from wood on the us west coast in 1942 and she was originally used as a mine-sweeper by the british navy. in 1950, she was acquired by cousteau and they became inseparable. it was on board the Calypso that Jacques-yves cousteau conducted his research and made his films which, after the war, helped to spread environmental awareness and knowledge of the world’s oceans all over the world. following an accident in the harbour in singapore in 1996, the Calypso sank. she was brought to the surface, the Calypso in her heyday. She is now being restored and equipped with two Volvo Penta engines. but she had been partly wrecked. this could have been the end of the story of the Calypso, but the non-profit association, the cousteau society, had other plans. since 2008, the Calypso has been at the concarneau shipyard in brittany where she is being extensively restored. the foundation is planning to make the Calypso as environmentally sound as possible. she will be powered by two 16-litre engines, each developing 650 horsepower, from volvo penta. they will give the Calypso a top speed of around 15 knots and a cruising speed of approximately 10 knots. if everything goes according to plan, the Calypso will be ready for new assignments at the beginning of 2010. this is the Volvo Buses model that won the automotive technology of the Year award in india. volvo bus receives automotive technology award in india volvo BuSeS has been presented with the “automotive technology of the year” award in india for the volvo 9400 6x2. this is the first bus with three axles to be launched in india and it has helped to take the market for luxurious, air-conditioned, long-distance coaches in india to another level. “We are delighted to have been presented with this prestigious award,” says akash passey, man- aging director of volvo buses in india. “it goes without saying that technology is one of volvo’s cornerstones and, in this case, it has been translated into enhanced passenger comfort, improved transport economy and even greater safety.” every year, Car India and Bike India Magazine, together with the ndtv tv channel, present awards to the automotive industry which are extremely prestigious in india. cleaner over 20 years volvo truckS is introducing a new generation of diesel engines with extremely low air pollution emissions. over the space of two decades, volvo’s trucks have become 100 times cleaner. using optimised combustion and effective emission control, volvo’s engine technicians have succeeded in combining low emissions with low fuel consumption. for a truck with volvo’s 13-litre engine and the automatic volvo i-shift gear-shift system, fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions can be cut by up to three per cent at a stroke. the other volvo engines are also far more fuel efficient than before. their air pollution emissions comply with the new european euro 5 emission standard that comes into force this autumn. “as we are updating the whole of our engine programme, all the improvements will have a wide impact and will quickly produce important environmental benefits,” says lars mårtensson, head of environmental affairs at volvo trucks. volvo’s trucks 100 times
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=7">Aero Magazine Page 7 | aero 7 the volvo ocean race</a> A test of human endurance life at the extreMe. this describes the volvo ocean race in a nutshell – and it is becoming increasingly gruelling. What is actually required of the people on board, however? Aero Magazine talked to hans bäck, a specialist in orthopaedic surgery, who has many years’ experience in this area. it goes without saying that you need to be a good sailor before you think of entering the volvo ocean race. this is only one of many qualities, however. hans bäck has selected and trained volvo ocean race teams and he has also examined the participants during the actual race. “to survive this competition, you need to be extremely stable mentally, you need all-round training and it’s also an advantage if you can perform at least one function apart from being a sailor. people who are good at cooking, at navigation and at electronics are all needed. nowadays, it involves far more than simply standing at the rudder,” he says. to create a group that functions, people of every conceivable type are required. hans bäck compares a crew to an ant-hill – everyone has to do his or her part. “you need people who are always prepared to get stuck in, the real worker ants. however, it’s just as important to have jokers on board, people who make the others laugh when it’s the middle of the night and cold, windy and rainy,” he says. being well trained before the race begins is essential – and this applies both physically and mentally. the mental training enables people to relax. “you can’t simply focus on people’s competitive instinct. they won’t work as a team if you do that. the mental training enables them to hug one another, drop their guard. this is the kind of thing that creates loyalty.” loyalty is the name of the game. “you need to be physically strong and really feel loyalty towards the other members of the crew. you have to have stamina. When all you want to do is curl up in your warm sleeping bag, you have to take your watch, time and again. even if it’s the last thing you want to do, you know that, if you don’t, someone else is going to have to – and he is just as tired as you.” as if harsh weather and little sleep were not enough, the menu consists of freeze-dried food and food supplements, which could not really be described as delicacies. in order not to lose weight, a normal person needs approximately 2,000 calories a day. a day in the volvo ocean race requires 6,000–7,000! “in the past, people could lose ten kilograms on one leg. that wouldn’t be possible today. the race has become so extreme that the competitors need loads of energy simply to cope.” in the 2002 race, hans bäck was on one of the boats. among other things, he measured the participants’ cortisol hormones and quickly discovered that the levels fell significantly. this reduces people’s ability to take the initiative and feel empathy. “you see exactly the same thing among people who burn out. so there is no question whatsoever that the race is truly punishing,” he says. photo: ricK deppe/puma ocean racing/volvo ocean race
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=8">Aero Magazine Page 8 8 aero | three engines the co</a> n open rotor open rotor geAred Geared Airlines are fighting for survival against spiralling fuel prices, environmental pressures and rising costs and are banking on emerging new technologies to help them. the challenges are huge. in 2008, the world’s airlines lost usd 5 billion and despite lower oil prices so far this year, iAtA forecasts airlines
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=9">Aero Magazine Page 9 three engines | aero 9 tender</a> s turbofAn turbofan AdVAnced turbofAn advanced turbofan will lose an estimated usd 4.7 billion in 2009. in response, engine makers are expediting ‘game-changing’ studies of advanced turbofans, geared turbofans and open rotors. All show huge potential, but which will succeed? Continued > By: tom gregson photo Montage: petter lönegård photoS: snecma, boeing, rolls-royce, bombardier, pratt&Whitney, ge aviation, mark Wagner/aviation-images.com
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=10">Aero Magazine Page 10 10 aero | three engines geAr</a> ed turbofAn graBBing the headlineS recently is Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF), which has been selected by Mitsubishi for its MRJ regional jet and by Bombardier for the CSeries small airliner project. A long-time proponent of the GTF, P&W announced the start of concept development in 2006 aimed at the A320/737 replacement market and renamed it the PW1000G in mid-2008. The GTF is similar to the current turbofan in that it improves propulsive efficiency and therefore reduces fuel consumption, by moving a larger mass of air with a smaller change in velocity. The fuel-saving potential of the GTF is predicted to be between 12–15% for the first generation versions, rising to 23–25% for follow-on developments. These savings are due almost entirely to the large increase in bypass ratio (BPR), or the ratio of the air that goes through the low-pressure fan to air which goes through the high-pressure core. The larger the ratio, the greater the efficiency. Current commercial narrow-body engines have BPRs of 5–6, while the GTF may have a BPR of 12 or higher. two Main technologieS The two main technologies at the heart of the GTF are the gear system and the highspeed, low-pressure turbine. Unlike fans, which are at their most efficient when running slowly, turbines work best when they spin quickly. However, in current engines, the larger the fan, the longer and heavier the LP turbine required to drive it. The GTF avoids this issue by decoupling the fan from both the LP compressor and turbine through the gearbox. The reduction gearbox allows the fan to turn at a third of the speed of the LPT, while decoupling allows the LPT to run at a more efficient higher speed, or 2.5 times faster than in current engines. As more thrust in the GTF comes from the fan, the core itself can also be smaller and lighter. As the fan runs more slowly, it creates less noise, thereby helping to reduce overall engine noise by up to 20 dB below Stage 4. µ speeds” “By putting in gearing, the GTF fan and LPT can run at different dR RoBeRt milleR, PRoPulSion SPecialiSt, camBRidge uniVeRSitY proS... one of the greateSt advantageS of the geared turbofan is its ability to allow the fan and lpt to operate closer to their optimum rotational speed than comparable turbofans. “the turbofan’s major limit is the tip speed of the fan and with it the speed it can rotate,” says dr robert miller, a propulsion specialist and lecturer at cambridge university’s Whittle laboratory in the uK. “as the fan is driven by the lpt, the turbine operates at rotational speeds which are below optimal,” he adds. “an optimal turbine would operate with exit mach numbers of around 0.9, but the designer is forced to design blades with lower exit mach numbers. the result is five stages of lpt with a significant increase in weight and length and a reduction in efficiency. by putting in gearing, the gtf fan and lpt can run at different speeds. the fan speed can go down and the lpt up, thus dropping the number of stages in the lpt with a consequent reduction in weight, length and a rise in efficiency.” ...and conS however, the gtf’s gearbox can also be regarded as a source of potential disadvantages. aside from the possible maintenance and reliability headaches of the complex unit, miller says the thermal management could also pose problems. “say the gearbox efficiency was 99% and the fan provided 50 mW of power, then that small inefficiency will produce 500 kW of heat. dealing with that much heat requires large oil coolers and what happens if they fail? a second redundant oil system may be required because the gears couldn’t survive for long without lubrication or cooling.”
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=11">Aero Magazine Page 11 three engines | aero 11 AdVA</a> nced turbofAn general electric, Rolls-Royce and Snecma also believe the conventional turbofan design can be improved to match and exceed the benefits of the GTF. GE-Snecma’s CFM International joint venture is moving into the full-scale test phase of its LEAP-X engine project aimed at a 16% reduction in fuel burn/CO2, 60% lower NOx emissions and a 10–15 dB improvement in noise. Two-thirds of the engine-related fuel burn improvement will come from propulsive and thermal efficiencies, primarily by increasing BPR to around 10:1 and raising the core pressure ratio. The remainder will be generated by 3D aerodynamics. The CFM project, which is aimed at first full engine demonstrator runs by 2012 and certification by 2016, is hedging its bets, while Airbus and Boeing assess the timing of their next generation narrow-body plans. Over the past two years, these have slid, with current estimates now putting service entry in the 2017–18 period. CFM believes the LEAP-X technology suite will be adaptable to whatever set of requirements are finalised and whatever configuration will be needed. It could also provide the core of the more advanced open-rotor engine (see next page). eu initiativeS Rolls-Royce is examining advanced turbofan technology through its long term ‘15–50’ vision which is examining various architectures to tackle the 150-seat market. The 15–50 group, named for specific fuel consumption reductions of 15 to 50% compared with current generation engines, includes varying options based on technology availability and maturity. Much of the work is linked to research conducted mostly on larger engines under European Union Framework Programmes such as Clean Sky, in which demonstrators will be based on follow-on concepts to Rolls-Royce’s Trent large three-shaft engines and a geared turbofan, led by MTU. Other EU initiatives include the VITAL (environmentally friendly aero engine) project, led by Snecma, which ensures that the efficiency of the low-pressure system keeps pace as bypass ratios inevitably increase. The MTU-led NEWAC (new aero engine core technology) initiative is looking at advanced, low-emission core technologies aimed at cutting emissions of CO2 by 6% and NOx by 16% relative to a 2000-era technology engine such as the Trent 700 or CFM56-7B. Technologies include intercooled recuperative concepts in which air exiting the LP compressor is cooled before entering the HP compressor using bypass air scooped into a set of heat exchangers nested around the engine core. The cooled air cuts NOx emissions and boosts thermodynamic efficiency. µ proS... advanced turBofanS have installation advantages in that they would fit seamlessly on current airframes, thereby increasing the potential for retrofits, and would not face the significant configuration challenges faced by large-diameter open rotors. technically, they are also generally regarded as lower risk developments than both the gtf and open-rotor alternatives. innovations such as variable area nozzles and higher flow fans will improve propulsive efficiency, while intercoolers offer the potential for thermodynamic improvements. however, much of the performance gain will come from basic improvements in manufacturing and sealing. “attention to detail is going to become more important if we are going to ensure that engines achieve their optimal performance throughout their life,” says dr robert miller, who cites improvements in the manufacture and design of compressor leading edges in the iae v2500 and rolls-royce trent 700 as an example. “the leading edges of compressor blades are typically around 0.2 mm in radius and little attention has historically been paid to their design and manufacture. recent research at the Whittle laboratory in cambridge has shown that very small improvements in their geometry can reduce profile loss by up to 30%.” ...and conS the disadvantages lie mainly in “not changing the cycle and in not really pushing the envelope,” says miller. in the long run, he asks, “how long do you continue to tune present technology before jumping into something like open rotors?” Continued >
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=12">Aero Magazine Page 12 12 aero | three engines open</a> rotors open rotorS offer the MoSt potential for large gains in propulsive efficiency, but they face serious noise and installation challenges. Open rotors are essentially advanced propellers driven by a jet engine core, like a turboprop, only far larger in size. Known as the propfan or unducted fan when first examined in the late 1980s, open rotors offer high efficiency because they are not restrained by a nacelle and therefore move a great deal of air. To meet the expected power needs of future single aisles, the open-rotor diam- eters are likely to be in the 3.5 m to 4.3 m range. This will clearly dictate different configurations from the wing-mounted designs of today. Both Airbus and Boeing are examining tail-mounted installations for semi-conventional open-rotor configurations and upper wing/fuselage mounted for more unusual shapes. pulling or puShing Open rotors, also like propellers, can be used for either pulling or pushing through the air. Rolls-Royce’s open-rotor study, dubbed the RB2011, is being tested as a pusher initially, but the main research for a future 150-seater engine is focusing on a yet-to-be-tested puller configuration. Work on open rotors is part of Option 30, covering designs aimed at certification in 2017 for a 2018 entry-into-service date. The work is also supported by the EU’s Clean Sky initiative’s four-year DREAM (valiDation of Radical Engine Architecture systems) project under which Rolls will work on a geared open rotor and Snecma on a direct-drive concept. General Electric has begun rig tests of a set of one-fifth scale open-rotor blades at the NASA Glenn Research Centre in Ohio. The blades are aerodynamically identical to the design last tested on the GE36 propfan in the early 1990s and are being tested on the same rig originally used to test them at NASA. GE is also working on the open-rotor study with Snecma, a 35% partner in the GE36. Including the baseline set, the first round of tests will focus on five GE-designed configurations and two from Snecma. Each will consist of two rows of counterrotating blades, tested in simulated flight conditions in Glenn’s 9 x 15-foot lowspeed and 8 x 6-foot high-speed wind tunnels. Although the shape is the same, there are a larger number in the new tests. The original UDF had eight blades on both rows, while the baseline scale test unit will have 12 on the front row and 10 on the back. Pitch change mechanism development work is also being studied in the programme, which aims to down-select to a final configuration by 2010. µ proS... “open rotorS provide a fundamental benefit because their diameter can be so much bigger,” says dr robert miller. “gtfs and turbofans are limited by the size of the nacelle. drag and weight go up with size and, once you get to a certain diameter, there is a certain disadvantage to retaining the nacelle. propulsive efficiency rises with the diameter of the propulsion device. this is because the thrust scales with the speed of the exit jet squared and the kinetic energy with the speed cubed. for a larger jet, the speed of the exit jet is lower and the kinetic energy in the exit jet per unit thrust is therefore reduced, with a consequent rise in propulsive efficiency.” ...and conS noise is top of the list of disadvantages facing the open rotor. “a nacelle is phenomenally good at reducing noise, open rotors are likely to have to be mounted above the fuselage and wings to mitigate noise,” says miller. there are also concerns that the more conventional turboprop- like puller configuration could be noisier because of interaction effects between the blades and the inlet. although the initial noise results of rolls-royce’s one-sixth scale pusher design showed noise levels of stage 3 minus 20 db, the engine maker says the classic ‘propfan’ concept also faces the challenge of mounting the blades on a hot, rotating structure around the exhaust end of the engine. this same area is also a concern for ge and nasa which indicate that the pitch change mechanism required for a pusher configuration will be a tough challenge. the mechanism has to have high reliability, be able to handle the high g-fields and operate at the back end of the engine. none of which is considered easy.
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=13">Aero Magazine Page 13 fourth engine? | aero 13 pul</a> se detonAtors a future alternative? beyond the indecision over the near-term alternatives, engine makers are becoming increasingly intrigued by the longer-term potential of pulse detonation. pulSe detonation engineS (PDE), in their simplest form, have few moving parts and offer dramatic efficiency gains through fundamental changes to the thermodynamic cycle. The key advantage of the concept is its ability to produce a pressure gain during combustion – something that does not occur in a conventional engine combustor. Pressure-gain combustors do this because they get close to the constant-volume combustion of the ideal Humphrey Cycle. This has a thermodynamic advantage over the Brayton Cycle used by constant-pressure combustors in today’s engines. PDEs are being extensively studied for a wide variety of potential roles ranging from missiles and multi-stage space launch vehicles to replacing the afterburner in combat engines. In civil engines, pulse detonation could be used in place of the combustor or even to replace the whole high-pressure core. In its most basic form, a PDE is a pulsejet in which the fuel-air mix is burned through supersonic detonation rather than subsonic burning, which was the principle used in the German V-1 ‘buzz bomb’. Supersonic detonation allows more energy to be added more efficiently and, as there are few parts, the unit would be lighter than the conventional HP compressor, combustor and turbine it would replace. long-terMintereSt Volvo Aero is one of the engine makers pursuing PDE technology. Performance and control systems engine systems specialist Anders Lundbladh says Volvo Aero’s interest “is naturally long term and part of our effort is to keep track of technologies which may affect what we provide to the market together with our business partners. “A pulse detonation combustor in a turbo- fan has the potential to bring fuel consumption down more than any other competing technology. Although much more technologically demanding, the market will make use of it if and when the technology is proven. In any case, a number of years to show proof of concept, fol- experiments achieved detonation and were used to verify aerodynamic simulation codes, which showed excellent agreement with logged thrust and pressure data” In the long term, Lundbladh says “we think it may be possible to integrate a pulse detonation combustor in a gas turbine engine and drive turbines with the exhaust. To achieve high fuel efficiency, the high pressure needed makes it less likely that the entire high-pressure core will be replaced, although the pressure needed to be provided by standard compressors may be reduced in such an engine”. We think it may be possible to integrate a pulse detonation combustor in a gas turbine engine and drive turbines with the exhaust” andeRS lund Bladh, engine SYStemS SPecialiSt, VolVo aeRo lowed by ground and finally flight demonstrations can be foreseen, before product development can take place. This most likely places a product some twenty years into the future.” replacing part of the core engine One potential application could be fighter aircraft engines, says Lundbladh. “In this case, it would likely be a gas turbine/pulse detonation hybrid, using pulsed detonation combustors, for either the main burner or the afterburner.” For commercial applications, he says Volvo’s “interest is primarily in replacing part of the core engine with a pulsed detonation combustor, to provide better fuel efficiency”. Volvo’s research on pulse detonation com- bustors is a part of the EU’s NEWAC programme. Led by Volvo, the PDE effort involves Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, Sweden, and Graz University of Technology in Austria. Here the integration of pulsedetonation into a turbofan engine is studied. In earlier research carried out at Volvo, “we have run pulse detonation tube experiments with liquid fuel injection and a compact lightweight valve system. The tube was also equipped with a nozzle and an ejector,” says Lundbladh, who adds that “the the wave rotor – a potential candidate However, Lundbladh cautions that it is still very early days and that the promise of pulse detonation remains far from guaranteed. “Because of the unsolved technical problems with durability, ignition control, integration in the engine and noise, we cannot regard pulse detonation combustors as a certain target, but rather as one of several potential solutions to raising the thermal engine efficiency.” One potential candidate is the rotary pres- sure gain combustor, also known as the combustion wave rotor. Consisting of a multi-tube combustor with a series of rotary valves optimally to empty and refill the combustor, the device achieves a nearly constant-volume combustion process. In the combustion wave rotor, the pressure rise is achieved by pressure waves, as well as confined combustion within the rotor tubes. The combination allows the turbine inlet pressure to increase, but without exceeding the temperature limit of the turbine. In the wave rotor, a series of constant area passages rotate about an axis. As they rotate, the ends of the passages are periodically exposed to circumferentially arranged ports which initiate the travelling gas waves within the passages. Because each passage of the wave rotor is periodically exposed to both hot and cold flow, the mean rotor temperature is reduced. Rolls-Royce is one of the engine makers exploring the potential of wave rotor combustion and it has been running rig tests on an engine fitted with the device at Purdue University. Volvo is also interested in wave rotors, says Lundbladh. “In the context of pulse detonation, it may be a solution to various integration problems, such as the ‘valving’ (how to control an intermittent flow) and distribution of the flow. Right now, we think it is too early to make a choice between this and stationary pulse detonation combustors.” µ photo: JuKKa lamminluoto
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<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=15">Aero Magazine Page 15 portrait | aero 15 naMe:Dave</a> Hess age: 53 JoB: President of Pratt & Whitney faMily:Married, with three children liveS in: Simsbury, Connecticut leiSure: “Participating in athletics. I run, I swim, I play racket sports and surf in the summertime” lateSt filM: Slumdog Millionaire. “I watched it in-flight. It was an outstanding movie” lateSt Book: The Entitled: A Tale of Modern Baseball by Frank Deford dave heSS, preSident of pratt & whitney Aiming for A strong recoVery he took over at the helm of one of the “big three” engine manufacturers at the most turbulent of times for the aviation industry. dave hess, president of pratt & Whitney, discusses the challenges the industry faces, the possible aftermath of the global recession and a green future for air travel. By: david Wiles photo: scott indermaur, pratt & Whitney, lockheed martin Continued >
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=16">Aero Magazine Page 16 16 aero | portrait Despite t</a> he fact that this is a challenging economic crisis impacting us – along with just about every other company in every other industry worldwide – we know that eventually we’ll come out on the other side. We want to make sure that, when we do, we come out strong and positioned to accelerate our growth.” daVe heSS, PReSident of PRatt & whitneY aS a keen Surfer, Dave Hess knows a thing or two about how to pick a wave and harness its power. Since taking over at Pratt & Whitney in January, at what could transpire to be the lowest point of the worst economic crisis to hit the aviation industry in living memory, he finds himself hurtling forward, propelled by a force that, although man made, demands similar resources of balance, strength and instinct to avoid going under. “Right now my focus is to position Pratt & Whitney for a strong recovery when we come out of this recession,” says Hess by phone from the company’s headquarters in East Hartford, Connecticut. “Despite the fact that this is a challenging economic crisis impacting us – along with just about every other company in every other industry worldwide – we know that eventually we’ll come out on the other side. We want to make sure that, when we do, we come out strong and positioned to accelerate our growth.” Hess joined Pratt & Whitney, with its installed base of 67,000 units and 2008 revenues of about USD 13bn, after four years as president at Hamilton Sundstrand, a stable-mate of Pratt & Whitney within United Technologies Corporation. At Hamilton Sundstrand, he held posts including head of aerospace power systems and vice-president of environmental control systems. coMfort in hiStory Like many observers, Hess has been surprised by the speed of deterioration in the aviation market, but being able to stand back and get some historical perspective on the crisis has given him a measure of comfort. “If you look at some of the key metrics that we all watch to take the temperature of the industry, revenue passenger miles – RPMs – were down in the fourth quarter last year and they continue to be down again early this year. But if you look at the history of RPMs, on average over time they increase year over year. We have every reason to believe that they will resume that growth.” RPMs have only dropped into negative territ- ory three times since Hess began his aerospace career three decades ago, but current estimates suggest that they could reach record lows this time round. “That affects new aircraft deliveries, which affects new engine deliveries, but probably more important is the aftermarket impact,” he says. “As people fly less, the airlines fly less and take out capacity and that has a significant impact on our aftermarket which is one of the most profit able segments of our business.” downturn cuShioned By diverSity The business jet market has also seen a significant decline, and dramatic reductions in deliveries by the likes of Dassault and Gulfstream are being felt at Pratt & Whitney Canada, the company’s small engine business. However, while the core business feels the effects of the downturn, Pratt & Whitney’s broad, diverse portfolio is acting as something of a cushion. The military engine business is prospering, developing engines for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; the space propulsion division of the company, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, reports solid business; while its ground-based power systems business continues to perform well. Another reason for optimism is the success so far of Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower PW1000G Geared Turbofan engine, which is widely believed to be among the frontrunners to power the next generation 737 and A320. “I think the remaining sceptics have been convinced that our Geared Turbofan technology is for real and we have a game-changing engine,” says Hess. countering air travel oppoSition The PW1000G Geared Turbofan engine has demonstrated fuel consumption improvements of up to 15 per cent and Hess believes that such leaps forward will enable the aviation industry to counter growing opposition to air travel among environmentalists – and increasingly beyond. “I think the aviation industry is responding to environmental challenges just as the automotive industry is responding to them,” he says. “We have technologies that deliver the most fuelefficient engines available and, as the regulations start to push us in that direction and public opinion starts to push us in that direction, we will continue to improve on that technology.” Hess says that it is the need for continued improvement in fuel efficiency and reliability that leads Pratt & Whitney to partner with companies like Volvo Aero in developing the best technologies for low-weight engines at the best cost. “Volvo Aero is and has been a key partner with us in large structural cases for the majority of our commercial and military engine programmes and it continues to be a key contributor in providing the best technologies at the best value for our customers.” BiofuelS – a real opportunity Hess points to Pratt & Whitney’s biofuels programme as proof that the company is not just jumping on the green bandwagon. “This is something we have been working on and a leader in for more than 15 years. We see it as a real opportunity and something that could potentially be not too far off in the future for the industry.” A flight test in collaboration with Boeing and Japan Airlines earlier this year using a fuel made in part from camelina, a plant in the mustard family, could pave the way for the industry-wide use of biofuels in five to ten years. Hess sees such renewable fuels as an important technology in the future. “I don’t see it as just being a novelty,” he says. “Alternative fuels, along with new engine technologies like the PurePower Geared Turbofan engine, will be a big part of the solution for sustainable aviation growth.” However, the more immediate concern remains the current recession and its aftermath. Hess believes that the aviation industry will be able to pick up largely where it left off when the
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=17">Aero Magazine Page 17 portrait | aero 17 Pratt & w</a> hitney’s broad, diverse portfolio is acting as something of a cushion. the military engine business is prospering, developing engines for the f-35 Joint Strike fighter (centre, left); and the involvement in the experimental military X-51 Scramjet-waverider (top); the space propulsion division of the company, Pratt & whitney Rocketdyne, reports solid business (bottom); while its ground-based power systems business continues to perform well (centre, right). economy recovers. “I think the recovery will maybe be a bit slower than we have seen in some previous downturns. But the consensus is that things are going to start bottoming out about mid-year and we will start to see some recovery in the back half of this year. 2009 and 2010 are going to be tough, but we expect to see recovery in 2011. We are managing the short-term impact like everyone else by reducing headcount and restructuring. These are difficult decisions needed to ensure our long-term success, but we are doing them in a way that we think will preserve Pratt & Whitney’s health and make us an even stronger company.” Not everyone will emerge on the other side unscathed and Hess expects further consolidation. “We could potentially see some airline consolidations as a number of airlines go bankrupt and have a tough time dealing with the downturn and I think we will probably see some of the same things happening in the after market with some of the smaller or weaker MROs [maintenance, repair and overhaul] being consolidated within the larger entities.” Strong recovery Asked what his basic gut feeling is looking forward, Hess returns to revenue passenger miles and the pattern on the graph they create when you look at the big picture beyond the turbulence of 2008 and 2009. “I’m optimistic,” he says with conviction. “One of the most reassuring things I look at on my darkest days is the RPM chart. If you look at this industry on average, revenue passenger miles have grown five per cent year over year basically since the industry was born, and we have every reason to believe that trend will continue. There is no question we’re in a very tough downturn right now and it is by all measures going to be the worst downturn we have seen in the aerospace industry, certainly since World War II. But we have every reason to believe that we are going to recover and that the recovery will be strong.” µ
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=18">Aero Magazine Page 18 18 aero | bombardier cseries</a> changing the game the cseries to set neWbenchmarK for efficiency, performance, comfort and environmetal impact designing an aircraft has always been a challenging proposition. the new cseries is by any measure an especially bold undertaking for canadian manufacturer bombardier. By: Jonathan clarke photo: bombardier when the new airliner makes its maiden flight in 2012, it will be the first to be powered by the potentially revolutionary new geared turbofan (GTF) engine and the first in its class to employ a composite wing. The single-aisle jet will carry up to 145 passengers, putting Bombardier in direct competition for the first time with giants Airbus and Boeing. Over the last almost quarter of a century, Bombardier has built up a solid product stable, including the market-defining CRJ regional jet series, the robust Dash 8 turboprop family and the popular Learjet, Challenger and Global Express business jet lines. With Avro, Fairchild Dornier and Fokker all falling by the wayside, Bombardier has emerged as one of two dominant players in the 50- to 100-seat regional aircraft market. The company’s sights are now set on going to the next level with its most ambitious project to date. SuBStantial reduction in eMiSSionS The CSeries is not simply another aircraft, but, like the much larger 787 being developed by Boeing, it is a potential game changer in terms of efficiency, performance, environmental impact and passenger comfort. Bombardier is aiming to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 20% and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 50%, make the jet four times quieter than current models and cut fuel consumption by 20%. “The CSeries will set a new benchmark in the industry, consuming as little as two litres of fuel per passenger per 100 mix individual airlines choose. The standard aircraft will have a maximum range of up to 1,800 nm, while a planned extended range (ER) version will go almost 3,000 nm, more than sufficient to fly New York-Los Angeles non-stop. Built at different SiteS The cost of developing the CSeries is expected the cSeries will carry up to 145 passengers at a new level of comfort. km in its more dense seating layouts,” promises Gary Scott, president, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. Key to delivering on these targets is the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G selected exclusively to power the CSeries. This innovative new engine features a gear system that will enable the fan and low-pressure compressor and turbine to operate at different optimised speeds (see also pages 8–13). This will produce more efficient, cleaner fuel burn and noise levels some 20 decibels lower than today’s target. The other major technological advance in this programme is in the area of lighter materials. Approximately 46% of the CSeries’ airframe will comprise composite material. This will include, for the first time on a narrow-body jet, primary structures such as the wing. two BaSeline ModelS Bombardier is currently planning for two baseline CSeries models, the initial 100- to 125-seat CS100 to be followed by the longer body 120to 145-seat CS300. Seating configurations will vary, depending upon the seat pitch and class to top USD 2.6 billion. Bombardier is hoping to split this three ways equally between itself, government loans and major suppliers. The Canadian government and the Province of Quebec are providing loans worth USD 468 million, while the UK has pledged another USD 310 million. Accordingly, final assembly will be located at Bombardier’s Mirabel plant and the aft fuselage at its Saint Laurent facility – both in Quebec. The wing will be designed and built at the company’s Belfast factory in Northern Ireland. Approximately 60% of the CSeries bill of materials will be sourced outside Bombardier. Chinese AVIC 1-controlled Shenyang Aircraft has joined the programme as a risk-sharing partner and will take responsibility for the aircraft centre fuselage, wing box and doors. Other key suppliers include C&D Zodiac, which will design and produce the aircraft interior, oxygen, lighting, insulation and water system; Rockwell Collins will supply its Pro Line Fusion avionics systems; Parker Hannifin will equip the aircraft with its integrated fuel and hydraulics system; and Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse SAS will provide the air management system. taken By SurpriSe When Bombardier first announced the launch of the CSeries programme last July at the Farnborough Air Show, the move took more than a few observers by surprise, given that the only customer commitment was a letter of intent from Lufthansa. In March, critics were silenced when the German company signed a firm purchase agreement for 30 CS100s and a similar number of options worth around USD 1.53 billion. The first aircraft will enter service in 2013 with Lufthansa subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines. µ
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=19">Aero Magazine Page 19 bombardier cseries | aero 19</a> volvo aero and gtf the BoMBardier cSerieS represents the first of a new generation of more efficient, environmentally sound aircraft that will replace the large number of narrow-body jets in current airline service. under an agreement signed with pratt & Whitney, volvo aero will be contributing a number of key components to the new pW1000g geared turbofan (gtf) powering the cs100 and cs300 aircraft. “looking forward, it is strategically important for volvo aero to be a partner on the new geared turbofan engine,” states nils-olof gustafsson, vice-president, pratt & Whitney programmes at volvo aero. “it’s important to be a part of an engine that reduces fuel, noise and emissions. it’s also important in that it shows that our strategy for developing lightweight technologies is paying off,” says gustafsson. While the addition of a gearbox to an engine allows for optimised fan and low-pressure turbine (lpt) and compressor speeds, its also adds weight. to compensate for this, weight needs to be reduced elsewhere in the engine and this is where volvo aero will be making an important contribution through its work on designing, developing and demonstrating new lightweight technologies. as part of its partnership agreement on the pW1000g, volvo aero has overall responsibility for the design, development, production and support of the engine intermediate case and turbine exhaust case, as well as producing the lpt shaft. by employing new fabrication concepts, volvo aero has already managed to achieve up to 15% weight saving on casings built for other engines, such as the engine alliance gp7000. photo: pratt & Whitney
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<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=21">Aero Magazine Page 21 the european space programme</a> | aero 21 2016: A VolVo Aero spAce odyssey Volvo Aero has been involved in space activities for more than three decades via its involvement in the european space programme. it is also developing critical engine sub-systems for its next generation of launchers, which include Vinci, Ariane 5’s new upper stage engine, for flights scheduled in 2016. By: gwladys fouché photo: esa-cnes-arianespace/p. baudon/s.corvaja and volvo aero Continued >
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=22">Aero Magazine Page 22 22 aero | the european space</a> programme thiS year, arianeSpace planS tolaunchseven Ariane 5 rockets into space to place more than a dozen satellites in orbit, making it the leading player on the commercial launcher market. On every mission, Volvo Aero has provided subsystems that contribute to the success of the mission, part of Volvo Aero’s three-decade long commitment to Europe’s space efforts. in the BuSineSS for 36 yearS “We began working on space activities as early as 1973,” explains Ulf Palmnäs, director of business development and strategy for Volvo Aero’s military, space and commercial units. “Initially, we were a ‘built-to-print’ operation, manufacturing components designed by French rocket engine manufacturer Snecma. We had a key ability to weld difficult, high temperatureresistant alloys.” From the 1980s onwards, Volvo Aero increased its activities from just manufacturing to research and development, to sharpen its competitive edge. The company has been closely involved in It is essential that national funding continues. It is a prerequisite to stay in this business.” ulf PalmnäS, diRectoR of BuSineSS deVeloPment and StRategY foR VolVo aeRo’S militaRY, SPace and commeRcial unitS the design of Vulcain and Vulcain 2, Ariane 5’s main stage engine, used in the first part of the launch, by supplying the sub-systems: hydrogen turbines, oxygen turbines and the nozzles. Volvo Aero’s space programme currently focuses on three demonstration projects: TPX, SWEA and turbines for Vinci (see next page). “Vinci’s key advantage is that it will boost Ariane 5’s performance, as it’s a new type of engine which is more efficient and increases the the ariane 5 eS-atV launcher, on its mobile launch table at the guyana Space centre, europe’s Spaceport for fuelling and final launch preparation.
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=23">Aero Magazine Page 23 the european space programme</a> | aero 23 launcher’s payload,” says Palmnäs. “SWEA’s and TPX’s goals are to reduce costs and increase the robustness. All three demonstrators are carried out in close co-operation with our European industrial partners and space agencies. They are and have been a very fruitful partnership.” Spin-off technologieS Space activities are one of Volvo Aero’s main business sectors – although it may not seem like it when you only look at the number of people working in the field. “Of about 3,200 employees, Space engages about 150 people,” says Palmnäs. “However, about a third of the firm’s engineers working on early technologies work in this sector and the technologies developed in space R&D are driven by severe weight and stringent quality requirements. Space-derived technologies can often be picked up by our other business areas and further developed for these applications.” Recent examples are laser welding and weld simulation, technologies first initiated in space programmes, which are now used in commercial jet engine products, including part of a recent SEK 70 bn (EUR 6.3 bn, USD 8 bn) contract with Roll-Royce and Pratt & Whitney. “The knowledge and competence we have from rocket turbines also has potential benefits for the engine of the Gripen fighter jet,” says Palmnäs. However, space R&D is driven by Europe’s political desire to have its own space programme. “So it is essential that Sweden’s share of the funding continues,” adds Palmnäs. “It is a prerequisite for us to stay in this business.” alwayS prepared The trend of developing solutions that combine low costs with boosting performance is set to continue, according to Palmnäs. “In our product plan, we have the Vinci first flight in 2016 and the next generation Ariane in 2025,” he says. However, things can change quickly and technology demonstrators take a long time. The European Space Agency makes key decisions at ministerial level every three years – the last of which was in 2008. In spite of this, “we will be prepared to meet Ariane’s future demands as the European centre of excellence for turbines and nozzles,” says Palmnäs. “The goal is always to have demonstrated technologies to the point at which product development can start in order to answer the customers’ needs.” µ fActs n volvo aero produces key components for the ariane 5 rocket; nozzles, as well as hydrogen and oxygen turbines. n about 150 of volvo aero’s 3,200 employees work in space programmes. n major ongoing research programmes include vinci, tpx and sWea. n volvo aero’s space programmes are situated in trollhättan in western sweden. the Vinci oxygen turbine vinci turbines volvo aero iS Supplying the hydrogen and oxygen turbines for vinci, ariane 5’s new upper stage engine, for flights scheduled in 2016. “We have completed the demonstration phase and will soon begin pre-development,” explains anders lund, volvo aero’s design leader on vinci. “We have realised our technical objectives and our focus is now to further increase turbine performance and reduce the weight. technology has been demonstrated to enable a titanium-based shroud around the rotor to increase efficiency and increase the power and lighter outlet manifolds, made of titanium.” if applied, they will lead to an improvement in the launcher payload. one known challenge during the demonstration phase was to deal with high natural frequencies in the turbines. “if resonance occurs at this level, the blades of the rotor can quickly burst,” says lund. a laser-based system for blade vibration has supported the design to deal with this issue. tPX ‘blisc tpx the tpx (a loose acronym for turbopump next generation) project aims to demonstrate the availability of new turbopump technologies for future large rocket engines, with volvo aero focusing on developing a new type of turbine module. “We want to show that you can reduce costs substantially, while still having a very robust product,” explains peter alm, tpx’s design manager. tpx’s distinctive feature is that the turbopump has been designed with a substantial reduction in the number of parts. “usually, a turbine rotor would have around 100 separate blades fixed to it,” says alm. “With tpx, we have made ‘bliscs’, discs with all the blades and the shroud forged together. manufacturing is therefore more controlled and can be done at a lower cost.” the five-year project is in the final part of its demonstration phase. the turbine module will be delivered to volvo aero’s partner snecma this summer. five new technologies are embedded in the turbine for tpx and will be first tested in october. Swea nozzle (centre) Swea volvo aero iS deMonStrating a new sandwich nozzle for ariane 5, which may replace the existing nozzle without affecting the engine. “the aim is to increase reliability and reduce the price,” explains roland rydén, project manager for sWea (a loose acronym of sandwich nozzle extension for ariane). “to do this, we are replacing the hundreds of individual cooling tubes with two sheet metal cones with milled channels that are just as resistant.” rydén and his team also used a fully automated laser welding technology developed by volvo aero in close collaboration with denmark’s force technology to join the inner and outer sheet metal cones of the sandwich nozzle together and to make reinforcement elements. “now there is almost no opportunity for human error during manufacturing,” says rydén. “this greatly helps to reduce costs and non-conformities during manufacturing.” the “grand finale” of the five-year demonstration phase is the full-scale engine test on vulcain 2, which is planned to take place in July. foto: peter Wahlström
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=24">Aero Magazine Page 24 24 aero | sounds of flying t</a> he picture of turbine rotor wakes interacting with outlet guide vanes at off-design conditions may generate undesirable noise.
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=25">Aero Magazine Page 25 sounds of flying | aero 25 n</a> oiSe and ways to reduce it since air travel was in its infancy, researchers have been working to solve the problem of noise. As things stand, researchers are able to make use of advanced calculation methods – but they now face challenges of a totally different kind. By: Jenny palm photo: sofia sabel at the preSent tiMe, research on noise reduction is high on the agenda. Most engine manufacturers have their own departments focusing on this area and, at political level, the question of noise is a natural part of the general environmental debate as it relates to the aircraft industry. In actual fact, the question of aircraft noise has always interested both the scientific world and the industry – but the solutions have varied dramatically over the years. Moving noiSe When jet engines commercialised the world of flying at the beginning of the 1960s, the challenge of reducing the noise generated by aircraft was just as relevant as it is today. At that time, however, the solution was more logistical than technical. After all, noise does not become a problem until people are forced to hear it and experience it as undesirable. So the solution was quite simply to locate the airports far enough away from residential areas. It was not primarily a question of reducing the noise per se. The solution involved removing it from the human ear. “Logistical” efforts are still being made, using ad- vanced air traffic control, for example, to reduce the impact noise has on people, but, as times change and with them urbanisation, the residential areas have moved increasingly close to the airports. As a result, more and more people are exposed to the noise and the conflict between the residents and the aircraft industry is being stepped up. BecoMing a technological challenge Back in the 1970s, people realised that itwas no longer realistic to “move” the noise, as there was in fact nowhere to move it to! Studies that revealed that the noise was far more than just a source of irritation to the people exposed to it were also conducted. It emerged that noise could cause long-term damage such as increased cardiac activity, concentration problems and changes in blood pressure. Taken as a whole, these factors became a power ful driving force for the researchers who, at the beginning of the 1970s, started to look for ways of reducing the actual noise. The noise became more and more of a technological challenge. One of the pioneers in this area is Lars-Erik Eriksson. He is a Professor of TurboContinued >
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=26">Aero Magazine Page 26 26 aero | sounds of flying y</a> ears ago can no longer be expected. The current technology is far more complex and intricate. There again, the methods for calculating noise are also more complex. “Even if this is true, the current methods give us a far more complete picture of the things that influence noise. Even if the advances we are making today are not as great, we are still making gradual progress.” not a task for the human ear – researching jet engine noise is a job for advanced computers. “the current methods give us a far more complete picture of the things that influence noise,” says lars-erik eriksson, Professor of turbomachinery and aeroacoustics. contradictory deMandS It is not simply the purely technical aspects that are putting today’s researchers to the test. The political demands are also a challenge. Noise cannot be divorced from other environmental targets and, in some cases, the demands are contradictory. More efficient engines, lower CO2 emissions and less noise do not always go hand in hand. One current example is the open-rotor concept which is expected to reduce fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent. However, as the engine is open, as the name suggests, and will not be enclosed in a casing, the noise will be a problem. “This represents a small backward step for noise research. In the future, I believe we are going to have to accept compromises and perhaps even accept that we can’t reduce the noise that much more or that we may be forced to remain at the current levels in order to realise other targets.” In spite of this, the target within Clean Sky machinery and Aeroacoustics and he divides his time between the Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg and Volvo Aero. Lars-Erik Eriksson was one of the first people to develop the current advanced calculation methods. “In the 1970s, the noise produced by jets – in other words, the noise that is generated by the airflow behind the engine – was the main area of interest. At that time, we didn’t have any advanced computers, so the researchers had to rely on their ability to make measurements,” he explains. draMatic developMent In practice, this meant building engine installations and conducting tests, which produced good results. Jet engines have undergone some dramatic developments in terms of noise. “It soon became possible to reduce the noise. Modern jet engines in commercial aircraft are about 30 dB quieter than engines of the corresponding size that were produced at the beginning of the 1960s,” he says. And this is a major reduction. Since the dB scale is logarithmic, a 10 dB reduction in the noise level is experienced as a halving of the noise. So the results were good, but they were also expensive – extremely expensive. Slowly but surely, in conjunction with new research findings and new and more powerful computers, methods for calculating noise rather than measuring it developed. Being able to calculate and simulate noise on a computer reduced the cost from millions of Swedish kronor to thousands. However, when it comes to the technical aspects of current noise research, the type of rapid results researchers were able to present 30 is to reduce the noise levels by 20 decibels by 2020. “This is undeniably a challenge, but, at the same time, I think it’s good to set ambitious targets, even if realising them in full may not be totally realistic,” says Lars-Erik Eriksson. µ fActs advanced noise calculation and simulation Jet noise fan noise fan (rotating blades) fan ogV (fixed guide vanes) calculating fan noise, which is caused by interaction between the fan and guide vanes (ogv) guide vanes behind the fan (ogV) Sound waves that extend in a spiral through the engine and then out through the outlet interference (“holes”) from the fan calculating jet noise, which is caused by the turbulent mixture of the hot exhaust gases from the engine and the ambient air. this illustration shows a snapshot of the turbulent flow, in the form of curves with a constant temperature (isotherms).
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=27">Aero Magazine Page 27 msi | aero 27 always on stan</a> dby marga blivier’s msi ready to help customers day and night it was not in marga blivier’s grand life plan to establish an aerospace business, but, now that she has, this german entrepreneur is steadily building an intensively customer-focused repair and overhaul operation at msi Aircraft maintenance services international. By: mark pilling photo: Karsten thormaehlen and atr Continued >
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=28">Aero Magazine Page 28 28 aero | msi the main focus</a> of the mSi-Volvo aero collaboration today is on the Pw100 turboprop series – the powerplant of the fokker 50, Bombardier dash 8 family or, as seen here, the atR-42. We cannot compete with Volvo Aero, P&W or Lufthansa Aero and we don’t want to. We try to find the niche where nobody wants to or is unable to do the work.” maRga BliVieR, owneR and managing diRectoR of mSi Marga Blivier deScriBeS her transition from company woman to company owner as a “fantastic accident”. However, it is hardly an accident that, over the past nearly 20 years, MSI has carved out a niche in the maintenance, repair and overhaul markets of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia for a variety of engines, auxiliary power units (APU), avionics and other equipment. Blivier’s philosophy is simple, “We are just here for the customer, day and night”. individual Service MSI was founded on this principle and the company is still small enough – it currently employs 43 people at its headquarters near Frankfurt and its satellite operation in Dubai – to remain intimate and approachable. “This is our strength,” she explains. “Large companies are sometimes not that flexible – we can give customers more individual service.” MSI’s roots as an aerospace business date back to 1991 when Blivier teamed up with a one-man company that was marketing industrial lasers. This product line was immediately dropped and MSI began concentrating on aviation work. “All my life, I have worked in the aviation industry, mainly for Garrett and then Honeywell in Germany,” she says. Armed with an MBA, Blivier’s early career saw her working on the repair and overhaul of Garrett engines, the production of APU components and the contract negotiations in new APU projects for Airbus jetliners and Eurofighter at Honeywell. Over time, however, the changing strategy of the aerospace giant made her realise there could be market gaps a smaller operation could exploit. “I thought there was perhaps an opportunity to support small and medium-sized operators if I had my own company.” Branching out into business on her own was a risk, but the move out of Honeywell was amicable. “In the beginning, we had a lot of good co-operation with Honeywell and we still work together today,” she says. From the initial team of two, MSI started to grow. It hired a handful of experienced aviation engineers and technicians and began to trade, initially in the repair of APU and engine components. Blivier was shortly to become the sole owner and managing director of the company, as MSI grew. Over the years, the company has developed the capability to support a wide range of components. Around 80% of its work is for commercial airlines, with most of the rest in business aviation and helicopters and a small amount of defence work. Presently, MSI holds EASA Part 145, FAA Part 145 and GCAA Car 145 approvals. froM apu repairS to engine Service From its beginnings in the repair and overhaul of APU and engine components, MSI moved into servicing the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW100 series of turboprop engines, which power aircraft like the ATR-42, Fokker 50 and Bombardier Dash 8 family. This work is carried out at its Rüsselsheim headquarters near Frankfurt Airport. “For several years, we worked on this engine in co-operation with Lufthansa Aero in Germany,” says Blivier. It developed the capability for hot section in- spections and repair, either in the workshop or on site at the customer and is an EASA Part 145 approved repair facility for the PW100. Three years ago, it started working with Volvo Aero on the Honeywell TFE731 turbofan, a popular business jet engine, and then moved into the
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=29">Aero Magazine Page 29 msi | aero 29 “we have alway</a> s had very good relationships with our customers. we understand very well the different cultures we work in and our customers seem to appreciate that,” says marga Blivier. the“win-win” relationship göran nordén, Vice President marketing & Sales engine Services, Volvo aero “for volvo aero, its relationship with MSI Aircraft Maintenance Services International is all about reaching places and providing services we cannot provide so easily ourselves,” explains Göran Nordén, Vice President Marketing & Sales Engine Services, Volvo Aero. “MSI is an important customer and partner, cov- ering regions where we think they are more available to customers than we are,” says Nordén. For instance, MSI has an extensive network of customers and contacts across Africa. “We simply don’t have the coverage MSI has in that part of the world.” Although the business relationship between Volvo Aero and MSI began on the TFE731 engine, the main focus today is the PW100. “This is where we have the most potential together,” says Nordén. Volvo Aero repairs a significant number of PW100s from this part of the world that it receives from the MSI arrangement. PW100 turboprop. It also does minor work on the Pratt & Whitney JT8D engine that powers airliners like the MD-80. Engine work with Volvo Aero now makes up approximately twenty per cent of its business, with the bulk of it now involving the PW100. Blivier’s relationship with Volvo Aero dates back to her time with Garrett, when the companies worked together on servicing the TFE731 engine. It is this kind of experience that makes her keenly aware of the motivations, benefits and limitations of larger players. She is careful to work in collaboration with the large engine overhaul shops, especially in tough markets like the maintenance of PW100s. SMall and MediuM-Sized cuStoMerS “We cannot compete with Volvo Aero, P&W or Lufthansa Aero and we don’t want to,” she says. “We try to find the niche where nobody wants to or is unable to do the work. The main thing is that we don’t want to compete with Volvo Aero – we complement each other. “Our customers are mainly not the big ones, but in the small to medium-sized range. Historically, we have always had very good relationships with our customers. We understand very well the different cultures we work in and our customers seem to appreciate that,” she says. trouBleShooting around the clock MSI engineers are on standby to go anywhere in the world to work on an aircraft with a problem. “We send our people into the desert in Africa or into Asia,” she says. “Sometimes pilots call us in the middle of the night with a problem to see if we can troubleshoot it over the telephone.” MSI has grown quickly in the past two years and Blivier wants to continue the upward path, albeit at a slower rate, as the economic crunch hits the market. She believes there will be opportunities, especially for companies that can mine good niche markets. “I’m a very positive person and I just believe that, if we work hard and give good service, we can increase our business, even if the economy is not so good any more.” µ coMpleMent to volvo aero MSI acts as an essential complement to Volvo Aero’s repair and overhaul management representative in Africa and other selected markets like the Middle East. “MSI helps to give an on-site service to customers, such as boroscope inspections of engines or troubleshooting,” says Nordén. MSI and Volvo Aero work closely to assess the work scope of any engine. “We have a very good dialogue with MSI and our customers on what should be done on the engine,” he says. This is especially important for smaller operators that may not have the in-house technical expertise. iMproving BuSineSS in africa If the inspections show the engine requires more extensive work that cannot be performed on site, MSI sends it to Volvo Aero in Sweden. “We are partners, giving customers a total service package. Together, we can offer more,” explains Nordén. “MSI has a strong position in Africa and we get a large number of engines that would not easily come our way,” he says. It may be a cliché to say that a business relationship is a “win-win” situation, but, in the case of MSI and Volvo Aero, it appears as close as you can get. µ photo: JuKKa lamminluoto
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=30">Aero Magazine Page 30 30 aero | recycling designin</a> g f r
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=31">Aero Magazine Page 31 recycling | aero 31 dismAntl</a> ing When aircraft get too old to fly, what happens to them? in certain parts of the world, they are just abandoned and ripped apart by raiders who pull out anything that may have some market value. in the process, toxins can seep out and cause ground and air pollution. however, heightened environmental awareness is now leading manufacturers to turn their attention to the after-life of their aircraft... right from the design stage. By: christina macKenzie photo: mark Wagner/aviation-images.com, airbus Continued >
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=32">Aero Magazine Page 32 32 aero | recycling the goal</a> when designing new aircraft is to build dismantling and recycling into the designing process. aircraft deSignerS face a conundruM: how do you design something that must not fall apart for at least 30 years but can be easily dismantled at the end of its life? Billy Glover, managing director of Boeing’s environmental strategy, explains that “to design for recycling is quite a challenge and, although we’re beginning to think about it, we have not progressed very far towards that goal. We must figure out how to combine design for recycling with the requirement that an airplane should not come apart for a very long time”. eco deSign for diSMantling In Europe, the EUR 1.6 billion Clean Sky initiative, a 50/50 project between the European Union and industry which runs from 2008 until 2013 and is part of the EU’s 7th Research Framework Programme, will also look at designing aircraft with their demise in view. The “Eco design” segment of the project will focus on the green design and production, withdrawal and recycling of aircraft by making optimal use of raw material and energies. The intention, says Yvon Ollivier, general manager of the Eco design project and Research & Technology co-ordinator with Dassault Aviation, is to come up with recommendations and a methodology to be used right from the design phase. “Our objective is that the dismantling of the aircraft must be kept in mind right from the start,” he says, “but Eco design only started work in October 2008 so we’re still establishing the state of the art.” Glover explains that, before designing for dismantling, an easier and more immediate path is to improve inventories of aircraft parts. “But parts get changed, so maintaining a current inventory of every part of an aircraft is a challenge,” he says. In his view “the first thing to do is to raise awareness of the issue. We need to challenge designers and engineers on things such as coatings, for example, by asking them ‘why have you chosen this coating?’. They must think about using the least environmentally damaging coating that will do the job. We’re at the education level for the moment. Changing design practice is something we have to work through very carefully,” he cautions. Ollivier concurs. “There is a ground change in aviation. It is clear that the whole life cycle of an aircraft will be a requirement in the future. Our designers at Dassault are already working with ‘greener’ coatings in mind: no more chrome 6, for example.” Even if designing for dismantling is a way off, both Boeing and Airbus, in their separate ways, have understood that their aircraft must be disposed of in a more environmentally friendly way. In March 2005, when Airbus realised that the first airplanes it built would soon be reaching the end of their lives, it launched a project called PAMELA: the Process for Advanced Management of End of Life Aircraft, which can be applied to dismantle any manufacturer’s aircraft and recycle up to 85% of it. Estimates of the number of planes which will reach the end of their life cycles over the next 20 years vary between 6,400 and 8,500, but the number could be much higher if airlines decide to off-load kerosene-guzzling older aircraft. paMela – a three-Stage diSMantling procedure Olivier Malavallon, head of the Airbus project, explains that the general idea behind PAMELA was to establish a standard three-stage dismantling procedure and re-use or recycle at least 85% of the initial weight of the aircraft. Stage 1 entails decommissioning. The aircraft is cleaned and decon- taminated, its fuel tanks are emptied and the airplane is secured. Stage 2 is the dismantling. The equipment is taken out, the parts are dismantled and whatever can be repaired or re-used is sent back to the manufacturers’ workshops. Stage 3 is the deconstruction in which the circuits are all
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=33">Aero Magazine Page 33 recycling | aero 33 aircraft</a> must be kept in mind right from the start, but Eco design only started work in October 2008 so we’re still establishing the state of the art.” Our objective is that the dismantling of the a 24-year-old airbus a300 was dismantled when the Pamela process was tested. over 90,000 kg were removed. YVon olliVieR, geneRal manageR of the eco deSign PRoJect emptied, the dangerous and/or polluting materials are removed and sent to specialised waste handlers, the aircraft is cut up and sorted and the parts are sent to specialised waste recyclers. To test the process, Airbus undertook to deconstruct one of its own aircraft, an A300B5. The guinea-pig started out weighing 106,000 kg and, by the end of the whole process, tipped the scales at a slender 13,500 kg. “By the end of Stage I, when we had emptied the fuel, the drinking water and the soiled water, we were already down to 88,000 kg,” explains Malavallon. “We then removed the two engines, the three landing gears, the avionics, the equipment and the auxiliary power units. which could all be re-used after being refurbished and re-certified. That brought us down to 74,500 kg. “In Stage 3 we were able to recycle the fuel, the fuselage, the wings, the rudder, the wiring, the avionics and various flight systems. That brought us down to the 13,500 kg we could do nothing with: the cabin and cargo lining, the insulation and components which contained soiled materials,” Malavallon says. The processes thus defined are being used by Tarmac Aerosave, an aircraft stocking and dismantling company in Tarbes, France, but the intention is that they will be adopted as the norm by other dismantling centres worldwide, thus creating a certified international network. PAMELA “enabled us to identify good practices for an aircraft which has reached the end of its life and provided very good lessons learned to pass back up to the design offices so that they design airplanes that are more easily disposable,” Malavallon explained. afra returning partS to the fleet Boeing’s initiative was to launch AFRA, the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association, in June 2006. The Washington DC-based, non-profit organisation has 37 members from companies (including Volvo Aero) and universities in eight countries in North America, Europe and Africa and it is focusing its efforts not only on returning aircraft engines and parts to the fleet but also on recycling what cannot be re-used. In June 2008, the association published its updated “Best Management Practice for Management of Used Aircraft Parts and Assemblies”. This 55-page document gives broad recommendations on how to recycle aircraft parts after disassembly and the facilities that should be available at deconstruction sites. Like the Airbus initiative, AFRA intends to develop and implement a certification programme through which it would audit and certify a company’s compliance with its best management practices. Martin Fraissignes, AFRA’s chief executive, says the association’s “aim is very simple: the aeronautical industry must show good citizenship where the environment is concerned and, for the time being, only about 70% of an aircraft can be recycled: our objective is that 90 to 95% of the airplane be re-used”. coMplicated proceSS for coMpoSite MaterialS A figure considered overly optimistic by Airbus officials who say “85% is a credible industrial objective mid-term, because nobody yet really knows how to treat composite materials” which are increasingly used in building aircraft. Carbon fibre needs to be broken down under heat in a complicated process which turns it into a sort of soup from which the various resins can be separated and mixed with other substances to become recycled carbon fibre. So far, the result is not good enough for use in the aerospace industry but can be used to make mobile phones, computers, cars or sporting goods, for example, while the aluminium is typically taken to a smelter which melts it and separates it into ingots which can then be recast into all sorts of things: your lawnmower engine or your car wheels may once have been part of an airplane! µ
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=34">Aero Magazine Page 34 34 aero | vinnova eVA linden</a> cronA, VinnoVA r&d promoting Work is under way between Volvo Aero, saab and a swedish government organisation, “Vinnova”, together with key stake holders in sweden, to identify important areas of research to benefit the aeronautics sector. they hope to release the initial results of their work on this ‘national research agenda’ at the paris Air show at le bourget in 2009. By: alan dron photo: samir soudah StockholM-BaSed vinnova (the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems) has the task of promoting growth and prosperity in Sweden, by funding research and development (R&D) and the commercialisation of that research. It has 180 staff; around 60 per cent of them have a scientific background. It fulfils its role by supporting needs-driven research required by business, industry and society. Vinnova does not carry out research itself but provides funding for others to undertake the work. Usually, Vinnova’s strategy division identifies the areas in which research is needed; the organisation then launches R&D programmes and calls for proposals from companies, universities and institutes wishing to participate. froM Micro-electronicS to cliMate change “Based on our analysis and consultations with industry and the public sector, we define a number of strategic areas in which we are going to launch research and development programmes,” says Eva Lindencrona, Vinnova’s Second Deputy Director General. The strategic areas can range from micro-electronics to climate change, ‘green’ materials, health and security. As well as supporting research in specific areas, Vinnova also funds ‘horizontal’ research programmes for various groups of players such as universities, SMEs and institutes. It has worked with Volvo Aero before: not only in aeronautics but also on subjects such as production technology. “Volvo Aero is a very competent participant in the national research programme on aeronautics,” says Lindencrona. Some 50 projects are currently under study as part of this initiative. Volvo Aero is also involved in research as part of the Flight-Related Development and Demonstration project, known in Swedish as the FLUD programme. One project in which Vinnova is supporting companies such as Volvo Aero is the European Commission’s ‘Clean Sky’ joint technology initiative. It aims to make European air transport more competitive and environmentally sound. Under the Clean Sky initiative, a seven-year research programme will search for new technologies that will radically reduce noise and emissions and cut aircraft fuel consumption in the next generation of aircraft. Volvo Aero, for example, announced earlier this year that it is participating in research on open-rotor, or ‘propfan’ engines. They are a cross between turboprop and turbofan engines and could reduce fuel consumption by 30 per cent compared with current powerplants. Clean Sky will speed up the path from research to industrial application. Large-scale technology demonstrators and test vehicles will be used to check the results of research, both in flight and on the ground. The Clean Sky programme will bring together results from national and EU-funded projects and major industrial stakeholders in the aeronautics and aerospace sectors to move important technologies closer to market. Vinnova will be supporting Swedish aeronautic sector participants in Clean Sky by launching national programmes for research. relating to eu prograMMeS “What we do is to relate our national programmes to the EU programmes so that they support the participation of Swedish organisations in the European initiatives,” explains Lindencrona. “A National Research Agenda (NRA) identifies the most important areas for R&D. The NRA is very important input to the development of national research programmes. The national research agenda can be mapped to the European research agenda. It could very well overlap with the corresponding European research strategy, but the aim is to identify the part of the research Swedish industry and researchers see as being most important.” µ are going to launch research and development programmes” We define a number of strategic areas in which we
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=35">Aero Magazine Page 35 vinnova | aero 35 fActs vinn</a> ova the swedish government sets out goals for vinnova, which include: n contributing to making sweden a leading research nation in which highquality scientific research is conducted n promoting sustainable growth and increased employment by helping to boost competitiveness and aiding the emergence and expansion of successful companies n supporting research and development work in areas such as engineering, transport, communications and working life in order to promote renewal and sustainable growth n stimulating swedish participation in european and international research and development collaboration and in the exchange of experience in the field of innovation. “we relate our national programmes to the eu programmes so that they support the participation of Swedish organisations in the european initiatives,” says eva lindencrona, Vinnova’s Second deputy director general. vinnova’s own vision is that it should ‘make a clear contribution to sweden’s development as a leading growth country’. recent initiatives supporting the aviation sector include the national aviation engineering research programme, known in swedish as nffp, and the flight-related development and demonstration programme. aviation engineering is not only of direct value to swedish companies in both the commercial and defence sectors. high-tech technological advances that originate in the aviation sector can often be disseminated across other branches of industry, thereby benefiting the economy. the aim of the nffp is to further develop research resources within swedish companies, research institutes, universities and colleges and to co-ordinate the utilisation of these resources.
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=36">Aero Magazine Page 36 36 aero | volvo aero service</a> s canada: toronto canada: montreal usa: tulsa canada: calgary usa: seattle usa: san francisco usa: memphis usa: auBurn Brazil: san Jose dos campos usa: Boca raton usa: atlanta israel: rishon lezion duBai australia: cairns singapore uK: guildford usa: greensBoro france: nantes germany: hamBurg china: BeiJing china: shanghai volvo aero Services around the globe WhAt customers thinK for more than 15 years, the company currently known as Volvo Aero services has been working to comply with customer requirements – regardless of global location. in spite of the current difficulties, the company is represented in virtually every part of the world. By: Kyshana guzman volvo aero ServiceS is a leading provider of aftermarket services in the aviation industry. The company offers a wide range of services, based on its skills in asset management, logistics and the leasing of both aircraft engines and engine and aircraft components. Volvo Aero Services is also the exclusive distributor of select material for Embraer, Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell and The Boeing Company. Every day, Volvo Aero Services strives to maintain its position as a leading provider of aftermarket services. µ “I wanted to thank you for your outstanding assistance with the two axles we purchased from you this month. Volvo Aero Services went beyond the call of duty to provide the necessary information and documentation that enabled me to acquire the axles I so desperately needed for our landing gear overhaul. I really appreciate the excellent customer service I consistently receive from Volvo Aero Services.” Janet cinquegRana, macquaRie aiRcRaft leaSing SeRViceS (uS) inc. “Some time in March 2008, we made a request for a B777 OutFlow Valve to support our operations due to acute shortages and Volvo Aero Services was able to respond positively with a unit available for sale. We evaluated the proposal and decided to proceed with the purchase. We received the unit in Singapore within days. Thanks for the support.” geoRge ching , SingaPoRe aiRlineS ltd.
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=37">Aero Magazine Page 37 boeing 787 | aero 37 Soon to</a> be airborne the boeing 787 story in brief At just about the time this issue of Volvo Aero Magazine appears, the prototype boeing 787 ‘dreamliner’ should be making its first flight. the programme has been hit by several problems during its development and is now running almost two years behind schedule, but boeing is confident that the 787 will have a major impact on the world airliner market. even before the first aircraft flew, the company had orders for almost 900 aircraft from 58 airlines. the first deliveries are due early in 2010. By: alan dron photo: the boeing company, Jeff corwin photography, rolls-royce Continued >
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=38">Aero Magazine Page 38 38 aero | boeing 787 the 787</a> eMerged after Boeing abandoned its Sonic Cruiser project in 2002. This had been intended to produce a radically designed airliner that would operate at just below the speed of sound. The company moved to a more conven- tional design, which used many of the Sonic Cruiser’s proposed technologies, including highly efficient engines and the widespread use of composite materials in its structure. the aircraft The 787 is a twin-aisle, twin-engined aircraft in the same class as the now out-of-production 767. The two initial versions will be the 787-8 (210–250 passengers, range of up to 15,200 km) and the stretched 787-9 (250–290 passengers, up to 15,750 km). Boeing is also proposing a short-range version, the 787-3 (290–330 passengers, up to 5,650 km). One major change from older aircraft is that 50% of the primary structure of the aircraft, including its fuselage and wings, will be made from composites, rather than metal. The use of these lighter materials, together with high-efficiency engines, contributes to Boeing’s predictions of an improvement of some 20% in fuel economy compared with the Boeing 767. engineS Boeing is offering the 787 with a choice of the General Electric GEnx-1B or the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000. Both are highbypass (10:1) ratio engines, designed to be extremely quiet and fuel efficient. Volvo Aero has substantial input in the GEnx. In fact, it represents the greatest involvement the company has ever had in a commercial engine. It is developing, designing and manufacturing the fan hub frame, turbine rear frame and booster spool. It will also manufacture the high-pressure turbine seal, aft fan case and C-sump cover. The GEnx replaces the highly successful CF6 in General Electric’s range and will be around 15% more fuel efficient. Volvo Aero is also manufacturing the fan case for the Trent 1000 engine through its alliance with Carlton Forge Works.
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=39">Aero Magazine Page 39 boeing 787 | aero 39 the int</a> erior Boeing is trying to make the interior of the 787 feel as spacious as possible. Cabins will be separated by arches that take up the full width of the fuselage, windows will be larger than on other aircraft and special ‘dynamic lighting’ will provide a ‘simulated sky’ effect on the ceiling. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) will give a sense of either daylight or a night sky, to help passengers sleep. Aisles will be wider and the cabin atmosphere will have more humidity than on current aircraft, providing more comfortable conditions for passengers and crew. cuStoMerS/orderS The first order for the 787, for 50 aircraft, came from Japan’s All Nippon Airways in 2004. Since then, a steady stream of customers from around the world has signed up for the Dreamliner. Boeing estimates it will win more than half the 3,360 expected sales for this category of aircraft between 2008-27. So far, the only customers for the shorterrange -3 model have been two Japanese carriers; Japan has unique, high-density, relatively short-haul domestic routes. µ fActs n boeing modified three 747s with expanded fuselages to carry large 787 structures around the world from subcontractors. n manufacturing a one-piece fuselage barrel section from composites instead of metal eliminates 1,500 aluminium panels and more than 40,000 fasteners. n a boeing 747 needs to have one million holes drilled into its structure; a 787 needs fewer than 10,000. n emissions will be around 20% lower than those of similarly sized airliners. n moving from pneumatic to electrical systems will require 35% less power to be taken from the engines. n When production is under way, boeing aims to complete final assembly of a 787 in three days.
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=40">Aero Magazine Page 40 40 aero | lAnding by isabell</a> e Kliger the flight of the concordes forty yearS have paSSed since concorde first took to the skies. concorde 001 completed its first test flight from toulouse on 2 march 1969, piloted by andre turcat, and first went supersonic on 1 october. meanwhile, the first uK-built concorde flew from filton to raf fairford on 9 april 1969, piloted by brian trubshaw. construction of two prototypes had begun back in february 1965 – concorde 001 was built by aerospatiale in toulouse, while 002 was constructed by the british aircraft corporation (bac) in filton, outside bristol. both prototypes entered service in 1971 and commercial services eventually began in 1976. the last “retirement” flight occurred on 26 november 2003. photo: marK Wagner/aviation-images.com, More accidents but fewer fatalities the international air transport association’s (iata) aviation safety performance figures for 2008 confirmed a significant drop in the number of fatalities from aviation accidents, despite a slight increase in the global accident rate, compared with 2007. the total number of fatalities was 502 in 2008, as opposed to 692 in 2007 – which corresponds to a 56 per cent improvement in the overall fatality rate, from 0.23 fatalities per million passengers to 0.13 per million passengers. however, the global accident rate (measured in hull losses per million flights of western-built jet aircraft) stood at 0.81 – or one accident for every 1.2 million flights. this was a slight deterioration in comparison with 2007 when the accident rate was 0.75 – or one accident for every 1.3 million flights. in all, 109 aviation accidents occurred in 2008, compared with 100 in 2007. “safety is the industry’s number one pri- ority. today’s statistics confirm that travelling by air is one the safest things that a person can do,” commented giovanni bisignani, director general and ceo of iata. As heArd on boArd: “Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you’re going to leave anything, please make sure it’s something we’d like to have.” “Smoking in the lavatories is prohibited. Any person caught smoking in the lavatories will be asked to leave the plane immediately.” “Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted.” “We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.”
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=41">Aero Magazine Page 41 | aero 41 “The scientific th</a> eory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage.” maRk RuSSell, ameRican Political commentatoR, comedian and SatiRiSt, 1932– into future aircraft naSa’S aeronauticS research mission directorate has awarded research contracts worth a total of usd 12.4 million to six industry teams. their challenge is to study and develop new concepts for subsonic and supersonic commercial transport aircraft that could enter service within the next 30 years. the teams, led by the boeing company, ge naSa promotes research aviation, lockheed martin corporation, massachusetts institute of technology and northrop grumman, will each receive contracts valued at approximately usd 2 million. their research will focus on commercial transport alternatives that can overcome considerable performance and environmental challenges for the benefit of the general public. the vehicles that are developed will represent a research and development generation known as “n+3”, meaning three generations beyond the current fleet. “the future of air transportation is all about protecting the environment and responding to increasing energy costs in a balanced way,” commented Juan alonso, director of nasa’s fundamental aeronautics program. “We are challenging the industry to introduce these new technologies without impairing the convenience, safety and security of commercial air transportation.” michael o’leary, ceo of Ryanair in for a penny, in for a pound uS airlineS haS Backed down on its decision to charge passengers for non-alcoholic beverages in its economy cabin. the decision, which has been widely criticised by customers, is thought to have put the airline at a competitive disadvantage. meanwhile, controversial ceo of ryanair, michael o’leary, has hinted that his airline may be moving in quite the opposite direction. apparently, it is considering the possibility of introducing a toilet charge. “one thing we have looked at in the past and are looking at again is the possibility of maybe putting a coin slot on the toilet door so that people might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny in future,” o’leary told bbc television. commentators have subsequently concluded that o’leary was probably just joking, or “taking the p*ss”, as one of ryanair’s spokesmen put it. “You can’t be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline – it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.” fRank ZaPPa, ameRican Song-wRiteR, guitaRiSt and SatiRiSt, 1940–93 naSa n+3 Supersonic – three generations forward in aviation technology. illustration: locKheed martin corporation SaS signs major norwegian air-travel contract the SaS group and statoilhydro have signed the largest air-travel agreement ever in norwegian his- tory. the contract includes sas and Widerøe and its star alliance partners. it encompasses air travel for statoilhydro’s global operations and is valued at almost noK 3 billion, over five years. the initial agreement is for three years, with the option of a two-year extension. photo: scanpix photo: ibl
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=42">Aero Magazine Page 42 42 aero | lAnding tastier ai</a> rline food when on-board humidity increases 5 space films famous space film – 2001: a space odyssey even if you can’t travel into outer space, here are five films to make you feel like you have. 1 2001: A SpAce OdySSey – stanley Kubrick’s epic oscar-winning drama about adventure and exploration in outer space. considered by many to be the best sci-fi flick of all time. (1968) 2 StAr WArS (pArt IV) – luke skywalker and han solo team up with obi-Wan Kenobi to fight darth vader and rescue princess leia from the hands of the evil old emperor. the start of a brilliant career for harrison ford. (1977) 3 4 5 AlIen – in space, no one can hear you scream. the first leading role for a 30 year old – sigourney Weaver. (1979) et: the extrA-terreStrIAl – “et, phone home”. What else is there to say? except watch out for a seven-year-old drew barrymore, in her first major blockbuster. (1982) clOSe encOunterS Of the thIrd KInd – When asked in 1991 to select a single “master image” that summed up his career, steven spielberg chose the shot of barry opening his living room door to see the blazing orange light from the ufo. (1977) how can one SySteM help reduce symptoms of jetlag and minimise the spread of infections? how could the same product also help reduce co2 emissions and improve the taste of airline food? the simple answer is that all these factors are affected by the level of air humidity on board. as anyone who has ever travelled in an aircraft knows, you become dehydrated in the air. dehydration has not only been proven to intensify the symptoms of jetlag, it is also the reason why some 20 per cent of airline passengers catch a cold while flying. low humidity also causes general dryness of the nose, throat and eyes. further- more, the dry air is one of the reasons why food is less tasty in the air than it is on the ground. meanwhile, condensation on the structure of the aircraft makes it heavier, thereby increasing fuel consumption and co2 emissions. new technologies that will make it possible to control humidity levels in aircraft are on the way. these systems, developed by swedish company ctt systems, among others, will make it possible to humidify the cabin and dehumidify the structure of the aircraft, thereby limiting both the weight of the plane and the dehydration levels of its passengers. “Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings.” c.d. JackSon, SPecial aSSiStant to uS PReSident dwight d. eiSenhoweR, 1902–1964 paper-free paperwork – iata launches e-freight in zurich in feBruary, zurich airport was the first location to become “iata e-freight capable”. this means that it has started a process whereby it will gradually replace paper freight documentation with electronic documents. the first e-freight compliant transactions were performed on the trade lanes between Zurich airport and chicago, hong Kong, singapore and london. the e-freight project is intended to take the paper out of air cargo. facilitated by iata (the international air transport association), the project is an industry-wide initiative involving carriers, freight forwarders, ground handlers, shippers and customs authorities. each air cargo shipment carries with it as many as 30 paper documents – enough to fill 80 boeing 747 freighters every year. iata e-freight seeks to replace up to 20 of these documents with electronic messages. photo: am29
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=43">Aero Magazine Page 43 plAne tAlK | aero 43 introdu</a> cing a new era of in-flight communications soon the notion of a commercial airline flight being a communication-free zone will be a distant memory. over the last few months, several airlines have started rolling out a brand-new, in-flight mobile phone and internet service. the new product, developed by it and communications service provider, onair, enables airline passengers to communicate using their own mobile phones, laptops and other personal electronic devices (peds), just as they would on the ground. air france became the first airline to conduct a commercial trial of the service back in 2007. other airlines that have introduced the service, or intend to do so in 2009, include air asia, british airways, bmi, oman air, royal Jordanian, ryanair and shenzhen airlines. While some airlines will introduce a complete service, enabling passengers to use their mobile phones or blackberry-type devices to send and receive text messages and emails, make and receive phone calls and access the internet through mobile devices or laptops, others are being more restrictive. for example, british airways will launch the service on its new twice-daily business class service from london city airport to new york this autumn, enabling customers to send and receive texts and emails and access the internet. however, voice functionality will not be enabled at this stage. “the aircraft today is the last place where you can be reached, but, tomorrow, this will not be the case any longer,” onair ceo, benoit debains, commented to reuters. however, not everyone is equally positive about the idea of in-flight communications. vint cerf, often referred to as “the father of the internet”, is worried that airlines are failing to consider the all-important privacy factor. “this gets into a ticklish area,” he said to associated press. “airlines have to be sensitive to the fact that customers are (seated) close together and may be able to see each other’s pc screens.” another factor to consider is the very real possibility that many airline customers may secretly appreciate not being contactable in the sky, despite the obvious drawbacks. in recent years, a commercial aircraft has tended to be the only place where we are guaranteed not to be disturbed by other people’s annoying ring tones or indiscreet telephone conversations. moreover, there is the even more sensitive issue of the content people might be tempted to view on their computer screens. so, what does the future of airline travel have in store for us? seat 19d is squabbling endlessly with his wife on his mobile phone. seat 18f is spamming 18d with inappropriate chat comments. seat 18e is too busy surfing pornography sites to notice. meanwhile, seat 19c is trying to sleep. could this become a reality? We certainly hope not.
<a href="/v5/viewer/files/Default_s.aspx?gKey=1660vg8v&gInitPage=44">Aero Magazine Page 44 news, views & interviews Vol</a> vo aero corporation, dept. 1500, Se-461 81 trollhättan, Sweden fredrik.fryklund@volvo.com volvo aero, business locations north america uSa nBoca Raton, florida nSeattle, Washington nSan francisco, california ngreensboro, north carolina ntulsa, oklahoma natlanta, georgia nauburn, alabama nmemphis, tennessee nnewington, connecticut canada ncalgary, alberta ntoronto, ontario nmontreal, Québec South america Brazil nSan Jose dos campos europe Sweden ntrollhättan nlinköping norway nkongsberg germany nhamburg united kingdom nguildford important addresses volvo aero corporation se-461 81 trollhättan, sweden phone: +4652094000 e-mail: volvo.aero@volvo.com volvo aero norge as box 1004 no-3601 Kongsberg, norway phone: +4732 728400 volvo aero services corp. 645 park of commerce Way boca raton, florida 33487, usa phone: +1 5619989330 volvo aero services (seattle) llc 18516 80th avenue south Kent, Washington 98032, usa phone: +1 425 2514660 volvo aero connecticut 179 louis street newington, ct 06111-4517, usa phone: +18606678502 applied composites ab box 13070 se-580 13 linköping, sweden phone: +4613209700 france nnantes Spain nZaragoza asia united arab emirates ndubai israel nRishon lezion china nBeijing nShanghai Singapore nSingapore oceania australia n cairns, Queensland
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