Story ID: 
Engine programs on track at Honeywell
By: Harry Weisberger
Caption: Through mid-September, the Honeywell AS907 engine program had logged more than 3,500 hr of configuration testing and over 8,000 hr of total test time inclu
Word Count: 630
Through mid-September, the Honeywell AS907 engine program had logged more than 3,500 hr of configuration testing and over 8,000 hr of total test time including 600 hr on Honeywell’s Boeing 720 flying test bed and nearly 20 hr during 10 test flights on Bombardier’s Continental business jet.Mike Redenbaugh, v-p and general manager for the AS900 program, said, “The engine has accrued more than 10,000 cycles of accelerated mission testing, where the complete propulsion system is tested for durability and reliability of all components. These processes gave us valuable knowledge that we can incorporate as enhancements prior to certification. We also plan to continue endurance testing after certification to accumulate high-time experience well ahead of operations.”Honeywell has shipped eight AS907 flight-test engines for the Bombardier Continental program. AS907 engine certification is expected in the spring. The AS907 has a takeoff rating of 6,672 lb at ISA+15 and a bypass ratio of 4.2 for the Continental Jet. All discs in the AS907 are designed for 15,000 cycles. The axial compressor has integrally bladed rotors for lower parts count and extended life. The effusion-cooled combustor provides uniform temperature profiles and lower emissions. The engine features a dual-channel electronic control device. Honeywell’s N1 digital electronic engine control (N1 DEEC) has been certified for TFE731-5B-powered Raytheon Hawker 800XPs, Dassault Falcon 900s and Falcon 20s.“More than 2,000 TFE731 engines worldwide now operate with an N1 DEEC,” said Ralph Alberto, director, TFE aftermarket engine support. “The N1 DEEC reduces pilot workload with improved power management and engine temperature limiting. Control trimming has been eliminated, and the added diagnostic capabilities significantly reduce maintenance labor costs.” These new applications make the N1 DEEC available for more than 6,500 TFE731 engines. It replaces existing electronic engine controls without wiring harness changes. Optional cables are available on some installations to ease access for downloading engine condition trend monitoring (ECTM) data. TFE731 engines covered by a Honeywell maintenance service plan (MSP) are fitted with the N1 DEEC at no charge during core zone inspection (CZI) or when existing controls require removal or replacement. Honeywell is offering N1 DEECs to non-MSP customers at a special unit exchange price. The engine control was already certified for the Learjet 31, 35/36; Falcon 10 and 50; Hawker 400, 700 and 800; and the CASA C101CC.The fleet of 323 CFE738 engines for the Dassault Falcon 2000 has accumulated more than 425,000 hr of service, the CFE Company, a 50-50 partnership between Honeywell Engines and General Electric Aircraft Engines, announced recently. The company calls it the most fuel-efficient engine in its class. Dan Fuller, director of CFE customer support, said, “CFE738 performance is meeting or exceeding all expected goals.”In the last year, CFE has added four service centers for CFE738 maintenance, bringing to 16 the number in North America and six in Europe.CFE expects to extend the CZI interval from 3,000 to 4,000 hr by the end of the year. By 2004 the company anticipates extending intervals for the engine to 2,500 hr for major periodic inspections and 5,000 hr for CZI.The CFE Customer Service Plan lets operators budget for maintenance expenses including life cycle hardware, and eliminates the impact of unscheduled events, Fuller said. The Honeywell RE100 auxiliary power unit (APU) is now available to Citation Excel operators who did not initially select the APU option. The RE100 APU can be retrofitted at Cessna Citation service centers via Cessna service bulletin SB 560XL-49-01, at a special reduced price for Excel operators and with minimal aircraft down time. A factory warranty covers all parts and labor to the same terms and duration as new Excel aircraft.The Citation Excel RE100 APU is certified for operation to 30,000 ft and provides a matched bleed-air source to the environmental control system for cabin comfort in temperature extremes. The APU electrical generation system provides power for main engine starting and can serve cockpit and galley systems.