Brazilian jet builder Embraer SA selected Pratt & Whitney to supply turbofan engines for its new series of Embraer E-Jets, a more fuel-efficient model of the regional jets that Embraer has supplied to 63 carriers in 43 countries. The United Technologies Corp. subsidiary reportedly beat GE Aviation and Rolls Royce plc to supply the aircraft manufacturer with its PW1700G and PW1900G, for a redesigned jet series that would debut in 2018.
“We are very happy to expand our partnership with Pratt & Whitney, keeping the E-Jets family as the best solution for our customers, today and in the future”, stated Embraer president and CEO Frederico Fleury Curado. “The PurePower GTF engines are a great fit to the next generation of our E-Jets and we look forward to another long lasting and successful program with Pratt & Whitney.”
The Embraer E-Jet family is a series of narrow-body, twin-engine jets for medium-range operation. For many years it has held a leading position in the world’s regional jet market.
The new generation of E-Jets will include not only a new choice of engine, but also various improvements now being implemented in the current models.
"This is more than just a new engine," according to Embraer’s Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva, head of commercial aviation. "This is a second generation of E-Jet to help us maintain our leadership of the 70- to 120-seat segment."
Pratt & Whitney’s PW1700G and PW1900G deliver thrusts from 15,000 to 22,000 pounds. Embraer said that in combination with new aerodynamically advanced wings on the E-Jet, “fly-by-wire” flight controls and other design improvements, the redesigned E-Jet would achieve double-digit improvements in fuel burn, maintenance costs, emissions, and external noise.
P&W offers that its PurePower PW1000G engine family has a gear system separating the engine fan from the low-pressure compressor and turbine, allowing each of the modules to operate at optimal speeds. This allows the fan to rotate slower, and while the low-pressure compressor and turbine operate at a high speed, increasing engine efficiency and delivering significantly lower fuel consumption, emissions and noise.
The increased engine efficiency translates to fewer engine stages and parts, reducing its weight and maintenance costs.
The developer said the PurePower PW1000G engine family also incorporates advances in aerodynamics, lightweight materials, and other technology improvements in the high-pressure spool, low-pressure turbine, combustors, controls, and engine health monitoring.
“We are proud that Embraer has recognized the unmatched value of the PurePower engine, and we are committed to supporting a successful launch of the new E-Jet aircraft family,” stated Pratt & Whitney President David Hess. “To date, Pratt & Whitney has completed more than 4,200 hours and 12,400 cycles of full engine testing for the PurePower engine family, demonstrating the benefits and reliability of the engine architecture.”
