8/31/2010

Engine battle

Ok, here is my first real post...

There is an engine battle going on for a while now - but it is also a PR battle, a battle of words, whatever you want to call it: it's CFM's LEAP-X vs. P&W's GTF (Geared Turbo Fan, for beginners).
For example there is is a debate going on, which of the two engines is "just" a derivative and which of them is a revolutionary concept.
There are the ones who say that the GTF is a thirty year old concept - there are the ones who say the LEAP-X is just another step in the CFM line-up of all the CFM56 engines and the TECH56 programme.
There are the ones who call the GTF the winner of the battle, well before the first engine in the test programme is fired up.
There are the ones who call LEAP-X the winner, as it features (read: will feature) revolutionary materials, but first engine to test is also well ahead of us.
As long as we all do  not have all the facts in our hands, let's just wait: the first GTF engine that one day will power the Bombardier CSeries will have it's first run in the coming weeks. Of course, we will not get the real-data from P&W, but in the next months and years (aerospace is a long-term business by all means) and as also the LEAP-X will come along, the truth about the winner (if there is one) will come to light.
In the meantime I will try to shed some light on the two different concepts from my very own perspective.

Yours,
aeroturbopower

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