Pratt & Whitney (P&W) and Irkut Corporation will begin preliminary design activities on P&W’s PW1400G engine to power Irkut’s MC-21 aircraft.
The activities will mark the beginning of the development of the third airframe application for the PurePower engine to affect reduction in fuel burn emissions and noise.
The PurePower PW1400G engine features an advanced gear system enabling the engine’s fan to operate at a slower speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine.
Its gear system and advanced core provides improvements in fuel efficiency and environmental emissions and a 50% reduction in noise and reduced maintenance costs.
The engine’s first application is currently undergoing core testing with full engine testing scheduled for summer, in line with Irkut’s MC-21 development timeline.
Irkut plans to develop the MC-21 aircraft into a family of 150 to 210-passenger aircraft that will enter into service in 2016.
