Rivalta di Torino (Italy), October 15th, 2014 – Avio Aero has a key role as a Risk Revenue Share Partner on Pratt & Whitney Canada’s NEXT GENERATION PURE POWER® PW800 engines which have been selected to power Gulfstream’s new business jet family (G500 and G600 business jets).
In the last three years Avio Aero cooperated with Pratt & Whitney Canada by offering its excellent capabilities on the design of the accessory gearbox, turbine-exhaust case and mixer, and by ensuring execution on all industrial and supply chain deliverables.
The Avio Aero’s modules will fit on the PurePower PW800 family engines that are high bypass ratio two-spool turbofans, long-duct mixed flow, built around the PurePower engine family core. Two engine versions are being developed to cover two long range business jets applications with a thrust range within the 16,000 lbf class with a foreseen longest mission of more than 13 hours, thus resulting in demanding accessory gearbox reliability requirement for this kind of application; ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standard), certification at Entry Into Service (Early ETOPS) and very low oil consumption requirement.
The accessory gearbox module developed by Avio Aero for the PurePower PW800 is a fan mounted arrangement. For the same reasons the oil filter is integrated into the OPU (Oil Pump Unit); the oil tank is integral into the accessory gearbox main housing to minimize weight and maximize integration with the OPU.
The accessory gearbox module is manufactured in the Avio Aero plant in Rivalta di Torino (TO). The production process also involves Avio Aero foundry near Torino, while the TEC and MIXER are manufactured in Avio Aero plant in Pomigliano d’Arco (NA).
Alfredo Marin, Civil & Military Commercial Operations Leader of Avio Aero, said: “We are very excited to be part of this innovative program. Our technological expertise in gearboxes dates back to the 1960s and, since then, Avio Aero's manufactured parts have accumulated over 150 million in-service flight hours. We have a 20 year partnership with Pratt & Whitney Canada and our relationship is further enhanced thanks to this new achievement".
ABOUT Avio Aero
Avio Aero is a GE Aviation business working on the design, production and maintenance of components and systems for the civil and military aeronautics industry. Avio Aero is the centre of excellence for the entire General Electric group in the field of mechanical transmissions and low pressure turbines. Italy is home to the main headquarters and important plants in Turin, Pomigliano d’Arco (Naples) and Brindisi. Worldwide it employees 4,700 people (about 4,000 in Italy) and has production plants in Poland, Brazil and China. Avio Aero’s origins date back to 1908 and for more than a century the company has led the way in numerous technological challenges. Its ongoing investment in research and development combined with a solid working relationship with leading international universities and research centres has enabled Avio Aero to develop technological and manufacturing excellence recognised at global level: a result proven by the partnerships entered into with the leading worldwide operators in the aeronautics industry.