Story ID: 601PW800Update
PW800s Engines Fulfilling Promise on New Gulfstream
By: Charles Alcock
Caption: The PW814GA engine for Gulfstream’s new G500 long-range jet is exceeding expectations across the board.
Word Count: 439
Following on from last year’s Transport Canada certification of its PW800 engine, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC, Booth N114) is continuing to support Gulfstream’s flight test program for its new G500 long-range aircraft, which is powered by the 15,144-pound-thrust PW814GA turbofan. The 15,860-pound-thrust PW815GA engine is set to power the G600 jet when it makes its first flight, scheduled towards the end of this year.

The PW814GA now has logged more than 2,500 flight hours on board four G500 test vehicles and also on P&WC’s own Boeing 747 testbed. “Performance on the engine is great, and we are demonstrating the fuel burn we promised,” Michael Perodeau, PWC’s v-p for marketing in corporate aviation and military programs told AIN. The engine maker committed to delivering a 10 percent reduction in fuel burn compared with existing engines in the 12,000- to 18,000-pound-thrust class.

With more than 6,500 hours of full-engine testing and more than 12,000 cycles, P&WC is already predicting that the PW814GA will “be one of the quietest engines around” with a double-digit margin compared with ICAO Stage 4 limits. According to Perodeau, it also is meeting its emissions goal of achieving double-digit margins better than the CAEP 8 requirements.

As it prepares for Gulfstream’s G500 service entry, P&WC has been finalizing all documentation. It also has been evaluating maintenance procedures to ensure that design goals are met in terms of ease of product support. For instance, the manufacturer recently changed out a line-replaceable unit on the wing, taking advantage of the turbofan’s very large access panels in the bypass duct, which give improved access to the engine core. It has also been investing in support facilities, training field service representatives, and boosting spare parts provisioning.

“We have strived to offer best-in-class maintainability,” said Scott McElvaine, senior director for PW800 marketing and customer support. With predicted dispatch reliability of 99.99 percent, the PurePower PW800 will require 40 percent less scheduled maintenance and 20 percent fewer inspections than other engines in its class, according to its maker. P&WC says the time-on-wing will be superior to that of any other engine of its kind, with the first shop visit targeted at 10,000 hours or beyond.

At the same time, P&WC is also preparing for entry into service of Dassault’s new Falcon 8X trijet, powered by the engine manufacturer’s PW307D turbofan. Meanwhile, the manufacturer is planning to roll out improvements in performance, reliability and convenience for light jet operators with its 950- to 1,780-pound-thrust PW600 engine line.