Pratt & Whitney launches first flight test programme

The Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1200G engine successfully has completed its first flight, thus launching the engine family’s flight test programme. The PW1217G engine for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) aircraft flew on a specially designed stub wing aboard Pratt & Whitney’s Boeing 747SP flying test bed at the company’s Mirabel Aerospace Centre, in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada.

“We’re really pleased to have started our initial flight test programme with the PW1200G engine,” said Bob Saia, Vice President, Pratt & Whitney Development Programmes. “Results from altitude testing will complement the PW1200G sea level data we have collected during the more than 1,000 hours of full engine testing with over 2,000 endurance cycles. Overall, we have completed more than 2,400 hours and 7,600 cycles of full engine testing for the entire Pure-Power Geared Turbofan engine programme, of which more than 250 hours have been in flight tests. Results continue to validate the geared architecture’s dependability, reduced fuel consumption, lower noise and environmental benefits. We’re very confident in its performance and that the Pure-Power engine programmes will meet customer commitments. We currently have four PurePower engines at test and nine engines in the build cycle.” This initial PW1200G flight test programme will validate performance, engine operability and in-flight starting.

“We are delighted that the first flight of the MRJ engine was successfully completed,” said Hideo Egawa, President, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation. “This is indeed a major milestone for the MRJ programme. With the PurePower engine at the heart of the MRJ, we will work closely with our wonderful partner Pratt & Whitney to integrate this innovative power plant with the airframe.”