EBACE: GE Honda close to certification for light jet engine

Posted on 6 May 2010 in Business Aviation

GE Honda Aero Engines continues to make steady progress toward certification of the HF120 engine, the joint-venture company said at EBACE today

"The HF120 engine has demonstrated that it is meeting design objectives
for thrust, fuel burn and operability," said Bill Dwyer, president of GE
Honda Aero Engines.

The HF120 engine has undergone a comprehensive test program in an
altitude chamber at GE Aviation's Evendale, Ohio, facility. Testing has
included operation to 46,000 feet altitude and high mach, as well as
testing for performance, transients, air starts, and extreme hot and
cold conditions. Other component tests and full engine tests to verify
design robustness have been completed, including tests such as operation
in crosswind and hail ingestion at GE Aviation's Peebles, Ohio,
facility.

Thirteen HF120 engines and two core builds will take part in the
certification testing at six test site locations. Currently five HF120
certification engines are on test simultaneously with one engine
completing 500 durability cycles. GE Honda Aero Engines also plans to
test the engine on a flying testbed before flying on a customer
certification aircraft. With FAA certification planned in 2011, the
HF120 engine will complete more than 15,000 cycles of ground and
flight-testing prior to entry into service.

The HF120 engine has undergone an extensive design verification program
prior to the official start of FAA certification, including eight core
engine builds and eleven turbofan builds. Design optimization and
verification was also conducted via compressor, combustor, fan and mixer
rig tests.

HF120 engine production will initially begin at GE's site in Lynn, Mass.
and will later transition to Honda Aero Inc.'s engine production and
overhaul facility in Burlington, N.C.

The GE Honda HF120 engine was launched in 2006 and selected to power
Honda Aircraft Company's advanced light jet, the HondaJet, and the
Spectrum Aeronautical "Freedom" business jet.

Rated at 2,095 pounds of thrust, the HF120 engine succeeds Honda's
original HF118 prototype engine, which has accumulated more than 4,000
hours of testing on the ground and in-flight. GE and Honda redesigned
the engine for higher thrust and new standards of performance in fuel
efficiency, durability, and low noise and emissions.

HF120 technologies include:
*    A wide chord, compound-swept front fan and two-stage booster
along with composite outlet guide vanes.
*    A high-temperature, titanium impellor in the compressor for
maximum engine pressure ratio and stall-free performance.
*    A compact reverse-flow configuration combustor and single-stage
air-blast fuel nozzles.
*    Advanced materials in the turbine as well as a two-stage
low-pressure (LP) turbine and a counter-rotating high-pressure and LP
spool shaft system.

A key cost-of-ownership advantage of the HF120 will be the ability to
operate at a best-in-class 5,000 hours between major overhauls. The
advanced airfoil materials and coatings that GE and Honda are maturing
for the engine's high-pressure turbine section enable this capability.
 

Other Stories

GE to offer on-wing upgrade programme for Challenger 601 engine

MEBAA and GCAS to work together to raise training standards in region's business aviation

Jet Aviation wins more completions work from MidEast clients

BaySys flight tests first head of state A340

Citation X to get upgraded avionics and cabin systems for 2011

New name in the completions world.

VistaJet confirm $277 million order for six Bombardier aircraft

Farnborough Airshow: King Air 200 and 300 gets EVS

Royal Jet and Arabsco renew their vows

Grand delivery from Pilatus

Royal Jet awards engine maintenance deal to Snecma

DC Aviation sees African boom

Extended US Preclearance at Shannon Airport benefits MENA business jet operators

Drive-in movie style display for Gulfstream 550

Dassault brakes new ground on Falcon 2000EX series

Gulfstream's PlaneConnect now has extra online capability

IWG formalises its role as major Jordanian holding company

Air Partner uses "Empty Leg" technology to slash charter prices

AVEX sponsor Gulfstream targets Africa and Middle East

MEBA facing early sell-out risk for late exhibitors