The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that Pratt & Whitney has been selected to participate in a program to develop and mature advanced core-engine technologies, primarily for engine compressor and turbine modules, to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, as part of the second phase of the FAA's Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN II) initiative. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.
During this phase of the program, Pratt & Whitney will continue to pursue advanced technologies that are applicable to ultra-high bypass ratio PurePower® Geared Turbofan™ (GTF) engines, particularly aimed at enhancing the thermal efficiency of the engine core. These activities are complementary to the company's CLEEN-related project announced in 2010.
Pratt & Whitney is also a subcontractor on a project led by UTC Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., that is focused on nacelle technologies and Aerostructures' ecoIPS™ to reduce fuel burn and noise. The demonstration unit will be tested on a PurePower PW1000G Geared Turbofan engine.
"Pratt & Whitney is proud to be part of the FAA's initiative to significantly reduce emissions and noise in aviation," said Alan Epstein, vice president, Technology and Environment, Pratt & Whitney. "The PurePower Geared Turbofan engine, which is meeting or exceeding specifications for fuel burn, noise and emissions, is a prime example of how our suite of technologies continues to shape the aviation industry and provide customer value. Participating in this CLEEN program will enable us to further advance the engine's technologies and deliver additional significant fuel savings and environmental benefits."