Photo: Pratt & Whitney
It was all good feelings and good vibes all around in East Hartford, Connecticut today, as the aerospace firm Pratt & Whitney announced they’d signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Federal Aviation Administration to develop environmentally sustainable aircraft engines for near-future applications.
In recent years, air travel has become a focal point of the ongoing struggle against climate change but has also received criticism for increasing noise pollution as well.
The $50 million deal will be part of the third phase in the FAA’s Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN III) initiative, created in 2010 in order to address these issues. The money involved in the deal is intended to develop jet engine technology that’s quieter, more fuel-efficient, and above all else, pollutes at a far lower rate than any modern jet.
Previous advancements by Pratt & Whitney under the CLEEN initiative was the Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine for single-aisle aircraft, which first went into service in 2016. It’s hoped this sizeable investment from the federal government will lead to the next quantum leap in efficient jet technology.
The $50 million deal will be part of the third phase in the FAA’s Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN III) initiative, created in 2010 in order to address these issues. The money involved in the deal is intended to develop jet engine technology that’s quieter, more fuel-efficient, and above all else, pollutes at a far lower rate than any modern jet.
Previous advancements by Pratt & Whitney under the CLEEN initiative was the Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine for single-aisle aircraft, which first went into service in 2016. It’s hoped this sizeable investment from the federal government will lead to the next quantum leap in efficient jet technology.
“We are honored to continue to partner with the FAA to explore advanced engine technologies and deliver additional significant fuel savings and environmental benefits,” said Frank Preli, vice president of propulsion and materials technologies at Pratt & Whitney. “This third award is a result of our proven track record over the last 11 years, working on FAA CLEEN I and II strategies and deliverables.”
According to General Electric data, the GTF family of engines has helped 54 operators save more than 500 million gallons of jet fuel and avoid 4.9 million metric tonnes of CO2 over 9.3 million flight hours.
Pratt & Whitney intends to increase that figure by implementing more technology compliant with the FAA CLEEN initiative. It’s possible that success in this venture will lead to even more high-value government contracts in the near future.
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