Honeywell's T55 engine has been improved to meet the U.S. Army's ever-changing requirements. Testing of the new T55-GA-714C was recently conducted at the company's Pheonix facility. Ultimately, the more powerful and efficient engine will power the Army's latest CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
Last year, Honeywell entered into a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army to demonstrate and fly its upgraded T55-GA-714C engine on the heavy-lift, twin-engine CH-47F Chinook helicopter.
Recently, the company began testing the T55-GA-714C for the first time at its plants in Pheonix to validate the engine's performance. To date, it was run at maximum continuous thrust, demonstrating mechanical operation. In preparation for the engine installation on the flight test aircraft, additional testing is planned at significantly higher power levels.
The engine is based on the T55 version that is currently in use. Therefore, it features the same intake, exhaust, and engine airframe mounts. This design allows the Army to upgrade its engines without having to retrain its maintenance and operational crew or make substantial alterations to its aircraft. It also helps reduce maintenance costs.
In terms of performance, the T55-GA-714C is 23 percent more powerful and has a reduced fuel burn when compared with the T55, even in challenging settings. Other advancements include doubling the operational range at maximum payload.
The T55 engine was first delivered to the U.S. Army in 1961, with a shaft horsepower of 2,200 on the CH-47A helicopter. For more than five decades, a pair of Honeywell T55 engines have powered every model of the CH-47. Since the Army's Chinook has undergone major improvements over the years, the engine has also suffered a number of changes to keep up with the ever-evolving aircraft.
Now, its power has almost tripled to 6,000 shaft horsepower. Each enhancement of the T55 comes with increased reliability. The T55-GA-714C engine was developed to improve the Chinook helicopters' ability to transport troops and heavy cargo.
Recently, the company began testing the T55-GA-714C for the first time at its plants in Pheonix to validate the engine's performance. To date, it was run at maximum continuous thrust, demonstrating mechanical operation. In preparation for the engine installation on the flight test aircraft, additional testing is planned at significantly higher power levels.
The engine is based on the T55 version that is currently in use. Therefore, it features the same intake, exhaust, and engine airframe mounts. This design allows the Army to upgrade its engines without having to retrain its maintenance and operational crew or make substantial alterations to its aircraft. It also helps reduce maintenance costs.
In terms of performance, the T55-GA-714C is 23 percent more powerful and has a reduced fuel burn when compared with the T55, even in challenging settings. Other advancements include doubling the operational range at maximum payload.
The T55 engine was first delivered to the U.S. Army in 1961, with a shaft horsepower of 2,200 on the CH-47A helicopter. For more than five decades, a pair of Honeywell T55 engines have powered every model of the CH-47. Since the Army's Chinook has undergone major improvements over the years, the engine has also suffered a number of changes to keep up with the ever-evolving aircraft.
Now, its power has almost tripled to 6,000 shaft horsepower. Each enhancement of the T55 comes with increased reliability. The T55-GA-714C engine was developed to improve the Chinook helicopters' ability to transport troops and heavy cargo.