Part 2: Conversation with Brad Mottier, Vice President at GE Business & General Aviation
In part two of our conversation with Brad Mottier, vice president at GE Business & General Aviation, we discuss the newest innovations in GE’s engines. The company is currently developing a new engine with improved environmental benefits and recently had its H80 turboprop engine be type certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. In this post we look at what this certification means for GE Business & General Aviation and what to expect from its newest engine for business aviation, the Passport 20.
Business Aviation Law Blog: I read that a new GE Passport 20 engine is under development for use in business aircraft. In what stage of development is the engine? I also read that the Passport 20 engine will offer improved fuel consumption and environmental benefits, such as reduced nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emissions and reduced noise pollution. Is this true?
Brad Mottier: The Passport 20 engine, being developed for large cabin business jets, will set a new standard in performance, efficiency and reliability for business aviation. GE is incorporating key technologies in the Passport engine to bring environmental benefits to operators, including a composite fan case to reduce weight, a front fan blisk for lower cabin noise and vibration and advanced core technologies that will reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency. GE recently finalized the architectural design of the Passport engine for the Bombardier Global 7000 & 8000 aircraft. With the design frozen, GE now begins the detailed design phase. Component fabrication will begin soon, leading to the start of assembly of the first full engine by year end. The first engine is scheduled to begin testing in 2013.
Business Aviation Law Blog: It was reported that Honda Aircraft Co. has developed a new light business aircraft that will seat two crew members and five to six passengers. Will the HondaJet be powered using GE engines? If so, which model?
Mottier: The GE Honda Aero Engines’ HF120 engine will power the HondaJet. The HF120 engine features high-flow, wide-chord fan blades, compressor with maximum engine pressure ratio, a reverse flow configuration combustor and advanced material in turbine. GE Honda Aero Engines is a 50/50 joint venture between GE Aviation and Honda Aero, Inc. For more information, visit http://gehonda.com.
Business Aviation Law Blog: The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved type certification for GE Aviation's H80 turboprop engine for commuter aircrafts. Can you tell us more about the H80 engine and what this certification means?
Mottier: GE is excited to bring the H80 engine turboprop to the marketplace, and the certification was the result of the hard efforts of the GE Aviation Business and General Aviation Turboprop team in the Czech Republic along with teams in Evendale and Lynn who worked the design. The H80 turboprop engine combines the elegant, robust design of the M601 engine with GE's 3-D aerodynamic design techniques and advanced materials to create a more powerful, fuel-efficient, durable engine with no recurrent fuel nozzle inspections and no hot section inspection. The H80 engine will feature an extended service life of 3,600 flight-hours or 6,600 cycles between overhauls. It will provide the option of a single- or dual-acting governor, allowing customers to have flexibility in propeller selection. The H80 engine will power the Thrush 510G agricultural aircraft, the Aircraft Industries L410 commuter aircraft, and the Technoavia’s Rysachok twin-engine aircraft. Along with these applications, Smyrna Air Center is working a Supplemental Type Certificate for a H80-powered King Air C90 aircraft. Recently we announced the launch of two new H80 engine derivatives – the H75 and H85 engines—for the agricultural, commuter, utility and business turboprop aircraft segments. You can catch a H80-powered Thrush 510G in flight on this video.
Thank you to Brad Mottier for talking with us. You can find out more about GE Business & General Aviation at http://geaviation.com/bga or on Facebook at http://facebook.com/gebga.
