ILA Berlin Air Show: MTU displays original geared turbofan engine for the first time

May 6, 2014
Game-changing PurePower® PW1500G on loan from Pratt & Whitney

Munich, May 6, 2014 – The 2014 ILA Berlin Air Show will mark another first for MTU Aero Engines: The German engine experts will be displaying an original Geared TurbofanTM (GTF) engine for the very first time. The PurePower® PW1500G, the propulsion system for Bombardier’s CSeries aircraft, is made available to MTU on a loan basis by its U.S. partner Pratt & Whitney. “We are excited to be able to show this game-changing engine to a broader audience now,” says MTU’s Senior Manager, Marketing Communications Dongyun Yang.  

The geared turbofan engine marks a huge leap forward in engine technology and proves to be a tremendous success in the market: Thanks to the new engine architecture, the GTF achieves a 15-percent reduction in fuel burn – which is tantamount to a 15-percent reduction in CO2 emission – and cuts the perceived noise level in half. To date, five aircraft manufacturers have selected the innovative propulsion concept: Airbus has chosen the GTF, which is developed jointly by Pratt & Whitney and MTU, for the A320neo, Bombardier for the CSeries, Irkut for the MS-21, Mitsubishi for the MRJ, and Embraer for its new E-Jets. At the moment, the GTF order book stands at over 5,300 engines.

At MTU’s booth in Hall 2 (No. 2301), there will also be another GTF exhibit on display – the high-speed low-pressure turbine. MTU is the only manufacturer in the world capable of offering the technology incorporated in this key GTF component. Last year, the company won two German innovation awards for this outstanding technological achievement. Apart from being designed for high speeds, this low-pressure turbine boasts high structural strength to withstand high mechanical loads and a low weight, which enhances efficiency, reduces fuel consumption, and, last but not least, saves on maintenance costs.

Military engines

Three other complete engines are among the highlights to look out for at MTU’s booth at this year’s ILA Berlin Air Show: the EJ200 for the Eurofighter Typhoon, the GE38 for the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter, and the TP400-D6, the western world’s largest-ever turboprop; it powers the new Airbus A400M military transport aircraft. On top of this, the German engine manufacturer gives an overview of its range of components and maintenance know-how and provides a glance into the future of aviation. On display also will be a complete turbine center frame for GE Aviation’s GEnx engine powering the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 747-8. MTU Maintenance, one of the world’s largest providers of commercial engine MRO services, will demonstrate various high-tech repair procedures.

One of the exhibits, a compressor with active clearance control, gives visitors an idea of what tomorrow’s high-pressure compressors could look like. As MTU’s guests, futurologists from the Munich-based Bauhaus Luftfahrt think tank will be showcasing a concept study of what is called Propulsive Fuselage at the booth in Hall 2. It illustrates an approach to intelligent integration of a propulsor around the circumference of the fuselage of the aircraft, which ingests the so-called boundary layer to drastically reduce aerodynamic drag.

Further locations

At this year’s ILA Berlin Air Show, MTU will not only have a 250-square-meter booth of its own, but will also be represented by experts and display exhibits at the booths hosted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Germany’s neighboring country Poland, and, from May 20 to 22, at the International Suppliers Center (ISC). In the Federal Armed Forces’ pavilion, MTU showcases an RB199 cutaway model and the MTR390 powering the Tiger helicopter. Soldiers and MTU staff demonstrate how their cooperation to jointly maintain the aircraft in serviceable condition works. This year, the ILA CareerCenter, the world’s largest aerospace job fair, takes place on May 23 and 24 in Hall 5; MTU will have a booth there, which will be about 30 square meters in size and be staffed with employees from MTU’s human resources department. On display here will be a 1:5 model of a V2500 engine, plus the external gearbox of this engine.

About MTU Aero Engines

MTU Aero Engines is Germany's leading engine manufacturer and has been a key player in the global engine industry for 80 years. It engages in the development, manufacture, marketing and support of commercial and military aircraft engine modules and industrial gas turbines. The company is a technolo­gical leader in low-pressure turbines, high-pressure compressors, manufacturing processes and repair techniques. Figuring significantly among MTU's core competencies are the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of commercial engines and the service support it provides for industrial gas turbines. These activities are combined under the roof of MTU Maintenance, which is one of the world’s largest providers of commercial engine MRO services. MTU operates affiliates around the globe; Munich is home to its corporate headquarters. In fiscal 2013, the company had a workforce of some 8,700 employees and posted consolidated sales of some 3.7 billion euros.