Top-notch service and support for the giant · Top-notch service and support for the giant By Silke Hansen MTU Maintenance has been successful in signing up three customers for the

Mission possible

2/2011

Customers + Partners Gobal

MTU sets its eyes on China

MTU Aero Engines Holding AGDachauer Straße 66580995 Munich • GermanyTel. +49 89 1489-0Fax +49 89 [email protected]

Products + Services

Big ambitions

Top-notch service andsupport for the giant

MTU Maintenance has been successful in signing up three customersfor the new giant in its product portfolio, the GE90: Air New Zealand,V Australia, and U.S. freight carrier Southern Air. Pages 6 - 9

Top-notch service and support for the giant

Mission possible

China is determined to push forward with its sky-high ambitions.Plans are now to build a new engine for the first short- and medium-range airliner to be made in China, the C919. MTU is looking for waysof contributing its technologies. Pages 42 - 45


The GEnx engine powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the newBoeing 747-8. As from January 1, 2012 every GEnx will come with aturbine center frame made by MTU. The necessary production linesin MTU’s Munich shops are currently being ramped up—in record time.Pages 30 - 33

Big ambitionsTwo Eurofighter Typhoons of the Italian Air Force pulled off an amazingperformance at Aero India 2011 in Bangalore that wowed thousandsof air show visitors, including government officials. India has now putthe jet on the final shortlist for the contract for126 fighter aircraft, theworld’s biggest defense deal at present. Pages 14 - 17

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Customers + PartnersJapan’s high-flying airlineMission possible A power pack for heavy loads

10 – 1314 – 1718 – 21

Technology + ScienceWays to make a great product even betterA huge leap forward on the materials front

22 – 2526 – 29

Products + ServicesBig ambitionsSoft on the outside, hard on the inside Service in the desert

GlobalMTU sets its eyes on China

30 – 3334 – 3738 – 41

42 – 45

46 – 51ReportThe “elegant” way to fly

In Brief Masthead

Contents

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Taken aback by the noise and vibrations he experienced on his firstflight in an early 1930s passenger plane, Hans von Ohain developeda novel engine to power the world’s first all-jet aircraft. This year, thepioneer would have been 100 years old. Pages 46 - 51

The “elegant” way to fly

Cover Story Top-notch service and support for the giant

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Editorial

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Dear Readers:

To stand still is to move back. That is as true in the fiercely competitive globalmarket for commercial engine maintenance as it is anywhere. We know wecannot afford to stand still; this is why the MTU Maintenance Group is look-ing to expand its activities in many ways over the coming years, for instance,by adding new engines to our maintenance portfolio.

We have succeeded in taking the first, momentous step in this direction:Last year, we obtained the necessary licenses to repair and overhaul theGE90 Growth, thus laying the foundations for our entry into this market.And, less than one year on, we landed a coup by winning contracts with threecustomers for the maintenance of the world’s most powerful engine. Withthe addition of this heavyweight to our portfolio, we now provide support forpropulsion systems across all thrust categories—from small Pratt & WhitneyCanada and GE Aviation business-jet engines and extremely popular medi-um-thrust engines, such as the V2500 and the CFM56, to the giants, theGE90 and GP7000. MTU Maintenance is the only company in the world tooffer MRO services for such a wide range of engines, and that’s somethingwe can rightly be proud of.

Besides broadening our product portfolio and expanding into new marketterritory, we are pursuing yet another avenue: We want to be in a position toalways come up with fresh innovative solutions to make our offerings flexibleenough to provide customers with exactly the service they need to keeptheir fleets in the best operating condition. In this regard, too, the new con-tracts we have won for the GE90 Growth break new ground: We are work-ing closely with our customers to ensure the contract terms are tailored tosuit the individual requirement. That’s an approach that benefits the fleetoperators, and ultimately ourselves. For, amid all the change in our industry,one thing will stay the same: To remain successful in the long term, you haveto keep your focus on the greatest possible customer benefit. Excelling inmeeting customers’ needs is our mantra. Of course, we will only achievethis by maintaining the highest quality standards and with the full supportof extremely innovative and highly motivated employees. They are our asset.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Stefan WeingartnerMember of the Board of Management, President Commercial Maintenance

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Cover Story

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Top-notch service and support for the giant

By Silke Hansen

MTU Maintenance has been successful in signing up three customers for the new giant in its product port-folio, the GE90: Air New Zealand, V Australia in the southern hemisphere and U.S. freight carrier SouthernAir have opted to have their GE90-110B/-115B engines maintained by MTU Maintenance Hannover underexclusive contracts. The German company will be offering them top-notch service and support.

MTU Maintenance. New Zealand’s flag carrier con-cluded an exclusive MRO agreement with MTU Main-tenance Hannover for its entire fleet of CF6-80C2engines in 2007. By entrusting MTU with the mainte-nance of the 12 GE90-115B engines that power itsnew Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, the airline knowsthat it will place them in the best hands. AndrewHewitt, Power Plant Manager at Air New Zealand:“Based on our existing MRO contract with MTU, weare confident they will continue to perform and deliverus an excellent service. The GE90-115B MRO agree-ment represents a significant 12-year investment forAir New Zealand.”

TU is fully prepared to start work on thehuge engine that powers the Boeing777 family of aircraft, and has been

licensed to perform the maintenance, repair and over-haul (MRO) work of the two Growth versions—theGE90-110B and the GE90-115B—since 2010,” notesDr. Stefan Weingartner, MTU Aero Engines’ President,Commercial Maintenance.

The maintenance agreements now signed mean muchmore than a welcome vote of confidence; after all, byadding the GE90, Air New Zealand and Southern Airare both expanding their existing partnerships with

Cover Story

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For additional information, contactLeo Koppers+49 511 7806-9105

For interesting multimedia services associated with this article, go towww.mtu.de/report

Frank Haberkamp, Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Asia atMTU Maintenance, says: “Air New Zealand is very satisfiedwith the job we do on their CF6s. The high quality of our serv-ices helps keep engines on wing longer. The airline benefitsfrom our customized service packages and the flexible solu-tions that we have developed in close cooperation.” So whysettle for something less than what MTU has to offer? Espe-cially given that the Hannover shop offers the same level ofall-round support also for the GE90, which spans the wholegamut from on-site maintenance to AOG (aircraft-on-ground)service, innovative high-tech repair techniques, temporaryreplacement engines from the lease pool to engine conditionmonitoring. Haberkamp adds: “Insights we’ve gained fromtalking with Air New Zealand led us to explore innovativeapproaches to find a solution that best fits the customer’sneeds. The resulting contract contains a flexible mix of power-by-the-hour and time-and-material elements.” These arrange-ments allow the customer to benefit from lower costs and tai-lor-made MRO service.

As the national airline, Air New Zealand operates domesticflights to 27 destinations and offers international flights toairports in Australia, North America, Asia, Europe and theSouth Pacific. From its hub in Auckland, the airline flies twodifferent routes to London Heathrow—via Los Angeles (daily)and via Hong Kong (five times a week), which makes the

South Pacific island nation’s carrier an airline that offers around-the-world service. Given that Boeing’s 777-300ER long-haul jet only entered service with Air New Zealand’s fleet inDecember 2010, the first major overhaul of a GE90-115B inHannover is not expected before early 2015.

U.S.-based cargo airline Southern Air has been relying onMTU’s support since 2002, and regularly sends CF6-50s tothe engine shops in Hannover and Vancouver. Says ChristophHeck, Vice President, Marketing & Sales, The Americas:“Now the carrier adds eight GE90-110Bs, and this numbercould increase to 12 if existing purchase options are exer-cised.” Southern Air, an air cargo company that was foundedin 1947, currently operates a fleet of 11 Boeing 747 freight-ers and two new Boeing 777s, and has another two 777sscheduled for delivery next year. The airline also plans toacquire additional 747s: initially two, but the number couldbe increased. Talks with MTU’s maintenance specialists onfuture MRO arrangements are already underway, reportsHeck. Southern Air serves customers throughout the worldand, last year alone, flew to 267 unique destinations.

The successful GE90 engine offers MTU great potential alsofor the acquisition of new customers, a textbook examplebeing V Australia. Based in Sydney, the airline is a subsidiaryof Virgin Australia, part of the Virgin Group of Airlines owned

by British entrepreneur Richard Branson. It has signed a long-term maintenance agreement with MTU for its GE90-115Bengines. The airline flies its fleet of five Boeing 777-300ERson long-haul flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane toLos Angeles and Abu Dhabi.

The prospects for future growth of MTU’s GE90 customer baseare excellent. Demand for maintenance services, especiallyfor the latest models, the GE90-110B and -115B, will in-crease steadily over the coming years. According to Boeing,the manufacturer has logged orders from 46 customersaround the world for a total of 665 GE90-115B-powered air-craft, with 279 of these still to be delivered. The 826 enginesthat have entered revenue service since 2004 have mean-while accumulated a total of 9.6 million flight hours, duringwhich they have established a departure reliability rate of99.95 percent: a proven track record that motivates MTUMaintenance all the more to deliver top-notch quality andservice.

General Electric’s successful GE90 is one of theengine options for various models of Boeing’s twin-jet long-haul 777 aircraft (commonly referred to asthe “Triple Seven”) and the exclusive engine for the777-200LR (Long Range), the -300ER (ExtendedRange) and the -200 Freighter. The engine familycovers a thrust range from 76,000 to 115,000pounds. The first variant, a GE90-77B, entered intoservice in 1995 aboard a 777-200. The two Growthversions, for which MTU Maintenance provides MROservices, are the latest additions to the family.

The GE90 Growth is the world’s largest and mostpowerful engine. Its fan diameter, at 3.25 meters, isapproximately equal to the diameter of the fuselageof a Boeing 737 (3.76 meters). During tests on GE’soutdoor test facility near Peebles, Ohio, a GE90-115Breached a sustained record of 569 kN, or 127,900 lbs,of thrust. In terms of technology, too, the turbofan,which has a bypass ratio of 9:1, is a true heavy-weight—a term not to be taken literally, because infact its aerodynamically optimized fan blades aremanufactured from composite materials and rein-forced with titanium leading edges, which makesthem lighter and more efficient and extends theirservice life.

Air New Zealand was the first airline to entrust MTU Maintenance with the support of its GE90-115B engines.

GE90: Gigantic inevery respect

Debut in MTU Maintenance Hannover’s shop: The first GE90 undergoes inspection.

The engines powering the Boeing 777s of U.S. freight carrier SouthernAir are also maintained in Hannover.

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Customers + Partners

Japan’s high-flying airline

By Andreas Spaeth

All Nippon Airways (ANA) carries over 43 million passengerseach year, which makes it Japan’s largest airline and thetenth-largest in the world. Having started out as a purelydomestic carrier, ANA this year celebrates the 25th anniver-sary of its international debut. ANA’s Tokyo-Mumbai route isthe most extraordinary one for the airline’s Boeing 737s,which make up almost a quarter of its fleet. If you are lucky,you’ll experience a bird’s eye view of Mount Fuji, at 3,776meters Japan’s highest mountain, on your flight.

ore than 6,700 kilometers separate these two cities,and ANA has operated the route since September2007. The connection is flown by two Boeing 737-

700ER aircraft in special livery—they are emblazoned withthe words “ANA Business Jet” in large blue lettering on awhite background. Boeing built this variant of the 737 espe-cially for the Japanese airline; it has a higher maximum take-off weight, auxiliary fuel tanks, and hence a considerablyextended range. With these business jets, which seat only 38to 44 passengers, ANA serves an important niche market.

Founded in 1952, ANA has a fleet of 228 aircraft in total, ofwhich 55 are Boeing 737s. The 737-500s, -700s and -800sare primarily used for domestic flights and operated by itssubsidiaries Air Nippon and ANA Wings. Since last year, MTUMaintenance Zhuhai in China has been providing support forthe CFM56-3C1 engines powering ANA’s Boeing 737-500s.For MTU’s maintenance experts the Japanese airline is a keypartner: “ANA did us a great service by assisting us in theprocess of obtaining approval from JCAB, the Japan CivilAviation Bureau,” says Holger Sindemann, President andCEO of MTU Maintenance Zhuhai. “It was a tangible sign ofthe confidence they have in our abilities. Japan is very impor-tant for our location on account of its geographical proximity.”

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The outsourcing of engine maintenance is quite a novel-ty in Japan, where airlines in the past used to do thiswork themselves. “MTU Maintenance had compellingarguments to convince ANA of the advantages of buyingMRO services ‘made in China’. The airline’s decision togo with MTU Maintenance was without doubt influencedby the fact that we are an independent provider withstrong ties to engine manufacturers,” explains HolgerSindemann, President and CEO of MTU MaintenanceZhuhai. “The Japanese are seeking long-term coopera-tion and have high demands in terms of quality,” saysTim Fu, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai’s Director, Sales, Asia.“We want to establish a strong customer base in theJapanese market, initially for MTU Zhuhai and in the longterm also for the MTU Group.” MTU Maintenance seesbusiness opportunities mainly with older engine types:As total demand for maintenance services for them isgoing down, it becomes uneconomic for airlines to havetheir own facilities. But there is also potential for busi-ness with newer engine types for which airlines do notyet have any capacities of their own.

“ANA is currently supporting MTU Maintenance Han-nover in gaining approval as an MRO organization fromthe Japan Civil Aviation Bureau,” says Jan Steenbock,Vice President, Marketing & Sales, Far East Asia inLangenhagen. “Impressed by the variety of MTU Mainte-nance’s repair capabilities and technologies, ANA is con-vinced that we can help them cut costs over the longterm and increase the cost-effectiveness of their en-gines.”

Engine maintenance, Japanese style

For additional information, contactHolger Sindemann+86 756 8687-806

The feeling is mutual: “We appreciate MTU Maintenance Zhuhai’sefforts to support ANA’s operations by cutting turnaround times asmuch as possible, so that ANA can avoid a zero spare situation for ourBoeing 737 classic fleet,” explains Toshifumi Takeuchi, Manager, PowerPlant, Material Management & Spares at ANA. “We also appreciatevery much the joint effort of MTU Maintenance and ANA on cost re-duction for engine overhaul. And we believe that, given MTU’s uniqueposition in the engine MRO market, we can expect even more benefitfrom our long-term cooperation.”

The Mumbai route could soon be served by a new aircraft type, asANA will be the first operator of Boeing’s new long-haul airliner, the787 Dreamliner. This jet is considered to be the ideal aircraft forpoint-to-point flying on medium-density routes. It will enter revenueservice with Japan’s flag carrier before the end of this year. ANA hasordered a total of 55 of the aircraft and hopes the 787 will drive its

international expansion. Using the Dreamliner, ANA will kick off a newregular service between Tokyo Haneda and Frankfurt that will start upin January 2012. Up to now, the majority of the ANA Group’s revenuehas been generated in its domestic market, where the carrier serves49 cities with 101 routes. This equates to a market share of around50 percent and makes ANA the market leader. The international net-work comprises 28 destinations and 61 routes. From Tokyo NaritaANA currently flies non-stop to four destinations in Europe: LondonHeathrow, Paris CDG, Frankfurt and Munich.

Despite the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan in Marchof this year, ANA is still on course for growth and expects to againturn in a profit for the year as a whole. The addition of internationalservices at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, which is located convenientlyclose to the city, is driving business forward, as are new joint ven-tures with Star Alliance partners such as Lufthansa; the cooperation

All Nippon Airways (ANA) is Japan’s biggest airline. Among the aircraft it operates also are Boeing 747s.

ANA is the launch customer for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet.

ANA has the CFM56-3 engines powering its Boeing 737s maintained by MTUMaintenance Zhuhai.

between these two airlines was the first Asian-European partnershipto gain antitrust clearance. ANA will also be launching two low-costairlines in Japan, both of which will commence operations next year.The dynamic airline has always been an industry trendsetter: It not onlyis the launch customer for the 787, but also the first airline to haveplaced an order for the new MRJ regional jet with Japan’s Mitsubishi.This aircraft will be powered by the new Pratt & Whitney geared tur-bofan engine, to which MTU contributes half of the high-pressurecompressor and the high-speed low-pressure turbine. Delivery of the15 MRJ90s ordered by ANA is slated to start in early 2014.

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Missionpossible

eld once every two years, Aero India is the biggest airshow in South Asia. In early February this year, 675exhibitors from 29 different countries spent five days

showcasing their latest products and technologies. This figureincluded a sizeable national contingent—almost 300 of theexhibitors were from India. “The 8th Aero India was anothergreat opportunity for the Eurofighter Typhoon and its enginesto demonstrate their world-class capability,” says MichaelSchreyögg, Senior Vice President, Defense Programs at MTUAero Engines in Munich. The German engine manufacturer hasa 30-percent stake in the EJ200 engine powering the Euro-fighter Typhoon and has put huge efforts into supporting itsexport activities. The two Italian fighter jets took to the skiesabove the Bangalore showground twice a day and flew inspectacular formations. All the flights went as planned, andnot a single spare part was required by the seven specialistsfrom the Experimental Test Flight Unit team who were res-ponsible for the two aircraft during the air show.

Within just a month, the Italian Air Force managedto get two Eurofighter Typhoons geared up andready to take part in a spectacular display at AeroIndia 2011 in Bangalore. The fighter jets pulled offan amazing performance that wowed 100,000 airshow visitors, including key defense ministry offi-cials. India has now put the Eurofighter Typhoonon its final shortlist along with the Rafale for theworld’s biggest defense deal—the Indian AirForce’s acquisition of 126 combat jets.

H

By Martina Vollmuth

Martin F-16 IN, the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, and the RosoboronexportMiG-35.

In addition to the MMRCA, an aircraft carrier version of the EurofighterTyphoon is also a conceivable option for the Indian Navy. This naval-ized version would require minor adjustments to be made to the air-craft, including localized strengthening in the fuselage for the landinggear and arrestor hook. “We could equip the engine with thrust vec-toring control nozzles for this version, which is something we have al-ready successfully tested,” says Günther. “That’s how we would reducethe aircraft’s approach speed and angle of attack for deck landings.”

As well as insisting on top-notch technical specifications, the IAF willalso require the eventual winner of the bidding process to set up afinal assembly line in India so that the majority of the fighters can bebuilt in the country under license. Only the first 18 aircraft will beacquired directly from a foreign manufacturer, while the remaining108 fighters will be built under license by the Indian companyHindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL). In addition, the MMRCA tenderincludes an economic offset of 50 percent of the order value. If theIndian Air Force does eventually choose the Eurofighter Typhoon, thiscould potentially lead to the creation of 20,000 new jobs.

The final decision on which manufacturer will win the contract isexpected to be taken this year. The fact that the Eurofighter Typhoonwas chosen as one of the finalists represents a huge success for theEurofighter Typhoon partners, and Schreyögg notes that it sends apowerful signal to countries that are currently considering acquiringnew fighter jets, such as Switzerland, Malaysia, Japan, Bulgaria, Croatiaand Turkey. These countries will no doubt be following the latest devel-opments in the Indian tender just as closely as all the companiesinvolved.

For additional information, contactKlaus Günther+49 89 1489-3308


The two Italian Eurofighter Typhoons were a sight to behold from themoment they left for Bangalore: Accompanied by two Hercules C-130s,they covered a total of some 4,300 kilometers, flying in several stagesfrom their Italian base, the Gioia del Colle Air Base in Apulia, to theYelahanka Air Force Station in Bangalore. The route included stop-overs in Greece, Jordan, Qatar and India. Mechanics were on hand towork on the fighter jets during the trip, with the two Hercules aircrafttransporting all their technical gear. Everyone involved in the journeythere and back confirmed that the Eurofighter Typhoons gave animpressive demonstration of how easy they are to handle. They wereimmediately compatible with all the civil and military infrastructurefacilities and ground support equipment in the stopover countries.Two reserve aircraft were kept on standby at the Italian homebase,but this backup resource was never actually needed.

This outstanding demonstration of operational readiness and flexibil-ity also appears to have impressed the Indian Ministry of Defense(MoD): The Indian Air Force (IAF) has since announced its decision todown-select the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale for thebillion-dollar defense contract which will see India reinforce its secu-rity and defense capabilities with 126 new Medium Multi-RoleCombat Aircraft (MMRCAs). Based on requirements calculated by theIAF, the Indian MoD issued a request for proposals in 2007 with anorder volume of some ten billion U.S. dollars and a scheduled date forthe start of deliveries of 2015.

“The selection procedure in India is about as challenging as it gets,”says Klaus Günther, EJ200 and RB199 Program Director at MTU AeroEngines in Munich. The aircraft and engines must demonstrate con-sistently stable and reliable performance in extreme geographicallocations ranging from desert regions to tropical forests to mountain-ous terrain—basically encompassing the subcontinent’s entire rangeof topographical features and climate zones. The flight and weapontests in the preliminary round focused on 643 parameters, and theaircraft that came out on top were the Eurofighter Typhoon and itsFrench competitor, the Rafale. The aircraft that are no longer in therunning are the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Lockheed

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The European fighter jets’ amazing performance wowed 100,000 air show visitors, including key defense ministry officials.In top shape: At Aero India 2011, the Italian Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon jets gave an impressive demonstration of their capabilities.


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A power pack forheavy loads

n important milestone was reached in the GE38program at MTU in Munich in late May this yearwhen the first power turbine intended for flight

testing of the CH-53K was delivered to the customer,General Electric Aviation. “This is a remarkable achieve-ment, given that we completed the first developmentmodule barely 15 months ago,” stresses Dr. Robert Bader,GE38 Chief Engineer. “Since then, we’ve put togetheranother four modules and optimized the design of ourcomponents to ensure flight operations are safe.”

It only took a few short weeks to assemble the first powerturbine to go into a flight test engine. “Assembly of themodule began in end-March, after a period of intensepreparations,” explains Program Director Rainer Becker.“It’s also thanks to the tremendous flexibility of our devel-opment assembly operators and their many years ofexperience in building prototypes that we were able to

The GE38 significantly advances the state-of-the-art in large turboshaft engine technology: Compared to itspredecessor, the tried and trusted T64, it generates one and a half times the power, burns 18 percent lessfuel, and uses fewer than half the number of parts. This power pack has been selected for the U.S. MarineCorps’ new CH-53K heavy-lift cargo helicopter. MTU Aero Engines will be supplying the power turbine for theengine, and managed to assemble the first module for use in flight testing within just a few weeks.

A

By Bernd Bundschu

meet the delivery date,” says Martin Schäffner, who is incharge of engine maintenance, assembly and test stands.GE delivered the first complete GE38 engine to SikorskyAircraft in the middle of the year. The airframe manufac-turer has an order from the U.S. Marine Corps for 200CH-53K heavy-lift cargo helicopters, which will be deliv-ered along with 800 GE38-1B engines. MTU is responsiblefor designing, developing and manufacturing the engine’sthree-stage power turbine, which delivers 7,500 horse-power (5,595 kW), and its exhaust casing and outputshaft. The company’s total workshare in the program is18 percent.

Since February 2011, an MTU power turbine has beendemonstrating its outstanding capabilities at GE’s testfacility in Lynn, Massachusetts, where the engine is beingsubjected to 300 hours of cyclic durability testing. “Thistest yields valuable information on how robust the design

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of the turbine really is and perhaps also exposes some weaknesses,which will then be remedied by the time certification is obtained,”explains Bader. During cyclic durability testing, the turbine will besubjected to the maximum acceptable gas and oil temperatures, toevaluate life consumption, as for instance as a result of thermo-mechanical fatigue processes. Continues Bader: “If strip inspectionafter the test does not give rise to any concerns, we’ve done a prettygood job.” Becker expects that initial results will soon be available.

The test facility in Lynn is not the only place where GE38 modules canbe put through their paces: the U.S. manufacturer operates threeengine test cells, and a fourth has been set up at MTU Aero Enginesin Munich (see box). MTU’s new test stand forms part of wider-rang-ing plans: “The GE38 is also a potential candidate for the plannedEuropean FTH (Future Transport Helicopter), and we want to be ableto offer our services as a GE38 system partner to the German ArmedForces, should the customer select it,” explains Becker. “Moreover,with the new test cell, we can offer the German Armed Forces a back-up test rig for the T64.” This is the engine that powers the GermanArmed Forces’ CH-53G helicopters.

The power turbine of the GE38 is made by MTU. A power turbine is being carefully prepared for ship-ment at MTU in Munich.

Before the power turbine is packed in the shippingcontainer an MTU employee gives it the final touches.

Ultra-modern test facility MTU has set up a dedicated test facility in Munich, equippedwith the latest instrumentation, so it can carry out testingon General Electric’s GE38 and T64 turboshaft engines.“The essential feature of a test cell for turboshaft engines isits water brake,” explains Wolfgang Duling, who heads test-ing of military engines at Germany’s leading engine manu-facturer. This is how it works: The engine shaft drives a blad-ed wheel mounted in an enclosure filled with water. Thedesired engine speed is reached by raising or lowering thewater level.

The new test cell has been undergoing thorough testing andcalibrating since September of last year with a T64. “This isa unique opportunity to run over the test rig with a fine toothcomb before we start development testing with the GE38,”says Duling. “We’ll be fully prepared when the first GE38sarrive for tests.” These are set to start before the year is out,when the GE38 has completed a series of tests to judge itsresistance against sand, hailstone, ice and water ingestionand bird strike. “The sand tests are particularly important tothe customer,” says Dr. Robert Bader, MTU’s GE38 ChiefEngineer. They will establish whether the engine is able tooperate safely and for long enough even in extreme condi-tions. One of the new features of the GE38 is a specialdesign to make it more resistant to sand erosion.

For additional information, contactRainer Becker+49 89 1489-6986


A GE38 on General Electric’s test stand.

New test cell: The GE38 can be put through its paces also at MTU AeroEngines in Munich.

In all engine testing activities, depending on the test objectives, testbed personnel will have GE and MTU program staff working alongsidethem. According to Bader, in terms of test duration, roughly one thirdof the GE38’s total testing will be conducted in Munich: “That’s reallya significant contribution we are making.” Initial ground testing of theengine is planned at Sikorsky for 2012, and the CH-53K powered byGE38 engines is slated to make its maiden flight in February 2013.MTU will be delivering 20 turbines for flight test engines to GE by theend of next year, with production assembly scheduled to commencein 2013. “We’re already laying the groundwork for launching assemblyoperations,” says Schäffner. “It hasn’t yet been decided whether MTUwill be responsible for the maintenance of GE38 components lateron,” says Becker, “but it’s something we’re working on.”

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Technology + Science

Ways to make a great product

even betterThe tests required for the planned approval of the gearedturbofan (GTF) in 2013 may still be underway, but work onits successor is already in top gear. Researchers hope thatthe engine technology demonstrator currently being set upas part of the European Clean Sky research program underthe leadership of MTU Aero Engines will provide the basis forthe second generation of the engine of the future—and showhow fuel burn and emissions can be reduced even further.

By Denis Dilba

urrent figures suggest the GTF design will reduce fuelburn by some 15 percent and improve external noiseby 50 percent as compared to conventional aircraft

engines in the same thrust range: “We are all quite proud ofthe GTF indeed, and rightly so,” says Klaus Stegmaier, ChiefEngineer Clean Sky Program at MTU in Munich. And there iscertainly no shortage of interested customers: Bombardierhas already signed up and will be debuting the GTF in its newCSeries as of 2013, and Mitsubishi and Russian aircraft man-ufacturer Irkut have selected the engine for the new aircraftthey are building. The GTF has also proved to be a popularchoice among Airbus A320neo customers, albeit in an en-hanced version.

“We are obviously delighted with the positive response to theGTF, but we can’t afford to be complacent. We have to keepraising the bar,” say Stegmaier and Clean Sky ProgramManager Peter Taferner. “Ever since we got involved in theEU’s Clean Sky research program we have been looking forways to make a great product even better.” The program wasinitiated to meet the targets defined by the Advisory Councilfor Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) in 2002, whichinclude halving carbon dioxide and perceived noise emis-sions by 2020 as compared to the year 2000, as well as cut-ting nitrogen oxide (Nox) emissions by 80 percent.

C

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Enhanced engine efficiency is a key factor in achieving clean-er skies because engines burn fuel. That is why the Clean Skyresearch program also includes the development of fiveengine technology demonstrators within the Sustainable andGreen Engines (SAGE) project. SAGE is one of Clean Sky’s sixIntegrated Technology Demonstrators (ITDs) intended to de-velop game-changing technological innovations across allareas of aviation. MTU is the leader of the SAGE 4 sub-project:Work on the “second-generation geared turbofan” has beenunderway since the summer, and the company plans to havethe engine demonstrator assembled by mid-2014, ready fortesting on the MTU test rig.

“What makes this project so challenging is the fact that itcombines ambitious fuel and emission reduction targets witha technology readiness level of six, which is basically justshort of demonstration in an operational environment,” saysStegmaier. The mechanical engineer admits that the project


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has given him a few grey hairs, but says that SAGE 4 is gen-erally progressing very well. He adds that the basic architec-ture of the demonstrator draws heavily on the existing, tried-and-tested design of the PW1524G engine: “That boosts ourchances of succeeding with this project.”

The latest milestone reached by the SAGE 4 team is DesignReview 2, says Stegmaier: “The conceptual design and ground-work have reached their critical phase and will be completedby the end of the year.” The next step will be to producedetailed component designs—a tricky task when you are usingso many new technologies in a lighter, efficiency-enhanceddemonstrator. MTU is therefore working closely with associ-ates such as Swedish engine manufacturer Volvo Aero andItalian company Avio. Volvo is developing a novel turbine exitcasing designed to offer benefits such as improved noisereduction, while Avio is working on an enhanced reductiongearbox known as the Fan Drive Gear System.

With an overall budget of 1.6 billioneuros, half of which is funded by the EUand half by industry, Clean Sky is thebiggest concerted aeronautical researchprogram ever undertaken in Europe. Theaim of the initiative is to support theEuropean air transport industry in meet-ing the ACARE targets for the reductionof fuel consumption, emissions andnoise. Clean Sky involves 86 partnersfrom 16 countries working within sixareas of research, one of which isSustainable and Green Engines (SAGE).The program is scheduled to run through2017.

Clean Sky

For additional information, contactKlaus Stegmaier+49 89 1489-5584

MTU is responsible for the overall coordination of the projectand for the low-pressure turbine and high-pressure compres-sor, the company’s flagship products. One of MTU’s tasks isto produce parts such as turbine vanes and casing compo-nents by means of selective laser melting (SLM), an additivemanufacturing process. This novel technique makes it possi-ble to achieve optimized aeromechanical designs in a signifi-cantly shorter timeframe while also reducing productionwaste. Efforts are also focusing on new materials such astitanium aluminide, and the team is additionally hoping toreduce weight and cut fuel burn by using inner rings madefrom lightweight and stable fiber-reinforced materials.

Taferner explains how cooperation under the Clean Sky pro-gram works: “The ITD leaders responsible for the individualcore technology areas define special work packages whichare then awarded to other partners through calls for propos-als (CfPs). The partners thus found have to invest some oftheir own money in developing the technology, so you have todefine tasks that produce a win-win situation—and of coursefind partners who have the necessary expertise.” The tender-ing process and selection procedures are managed and over-seen by the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking, a managementbody set up for the program in Brussels.

A good example of such a work package is the developmentof an innovative forging technology for titanium aluminide.“The Austrian company Böhler Schmiedetechnik, which isgaining a competitive edge in the technology required to pro-duce forged parts from lightweight titanium aluminide, issupplying MTU with high-end forged parts at no charge whichwe can use for testing, processing and validation in thedemonstrator,” says Taferner, who is also responsible forinternational technology cooperation projects at MTU. Otherorganizations that have already got involved include CobhamComposites, a British company specializing in composite pro-ducts, Technische Universität München, and GFE, a manufac-turer of high-performance metals and materials. “Once allthe CfPs are completed we will have some 20 to 30 partnerson board,” says Taferner. “The key to success is tight coordi-nation and a good team spirit.”

All parties involved will be expected to put their very besteffort into ensuring that the engine demonstrator is ready toshow what it is capable of in 2014: “Plenty of work still liesahead of us, including component and rig tests to investigatemechanical and aerodynamic properties and the conversionof a GTF prototype engine from the Bombardier CSeries fam-ily which Pratt & Whitney will be making available to us at theend of 2012,” notes Stegmaier, who is very much looking for-ward to the next stages of the project. “Ultimately, Clean Skywill enable us to make another technological leap—that’s thegreatest asset we will gain from this.”

For its new A320neo aircraft family, Airbus relies on the geared turbofan technology.

The PurePower® PW1217G will power Mitsubishi’s new MRJ.


A huge leapforward on thematerials front

A game-changing advance in technology, ComputationalMaterials Engineering (CME) allows materials to be devel-oped much faster and in a more targeted way than before.“This computer-aided simulation technique will halve devel-opment times at MTU Aero Engines, bringing about amajor reduction in time to market,” says Dr. Jörg Eßlinger,Director, Materials Engineering at Germany’s leading enginemanufacturer. And that is just one of the advantages ofCME.

By Denis Dilba

ngine manufacturing, with its exacting qualityrequirements especially as regards safety-criticalaspects, is an area where it can take the better

part of a decade to develop materials, from coming upwith the idea for a new alloy to maturing it for produc-tion use. Among the most time-consuming parts of thisprocess are the optimization cycles required to produceand characterize the material and process variantsunder consideration until a material is found that meetsall cost and quality criteria. At times it is little more thana process of trial and error, “albeit at an exceptionallyhigh level,” says MTU’s chief materials engineer.“Unfortunately, we can never be entirely sure whetherthe desired results are brought about by adding this orthat percentage of tantalum, molybdenum or cobalt toa material, or by slightly modifying the heat treatmentof the material, until several weeks later, once all therelevant testing has been completed.” Since the firstattempt rarely hits the bull’s eye and is unlikely to deliv-er the optimum result, the whole exercise must be re-peated and refined again and again. But this is set tochange, as now—with the aid of computers—it is possi-ble to tailor materials, production processes and com-ponents to precisely meet requirements.

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This relatively new area of research hasemerged from a combination of basic sci-ence with conventional materials engineer-ing. For a long time, these methods could notbe applied to materials research because ofthe extreme complexity of the processes thatmust be simulated. But now computers aremuch more powerful, computational methodshave been refined, and there is a better un-derstanding of the phenomena at atomiclevel, according to Eßlinger. “With CME wecan tell in advance what effects new chemicalconstituents or a particular set of productionparameters will have on an alloy’s microstruc-ture, and hence on its mechanical strength.”

In Eßlinger’s view, CME will be become anindispensable tool in the development ofmaterials, considering the exacting require-ments emerging engines will have to satisfy.“Things are bound to get more complex.”More efficient engines, which will have tooperate at even higher temperatures thanthose in service today, call for novel, ad-vanced high-performance materials. “Eachengine stage will in future be manufacturedusing the material that is best suited for thejob,” predicts Dr. Andreas Fischersworring-Bunk, a structural mechanics engineer atMTU. But for this to become a reality thematerials development expenditure must bebrought down. CME is a great help, as it per-mits a computer-based preselection of themost promising material variants, which arethen produced in the conventional manner.“The alloys thus selected are much morelikely to be suitable for the intended purpose,which means we have fewer developmentiterations to go through,” says ThomasGöhler, who is writing his doctoral thesis atMTU.

A better understanding of materials allowscompletely new alloys to be developed morequickly and also permits existing ones to beoptimized. “What’s more, CME offers addedprecision in calculating the safe service lifeof components,” says Fischersworring-Bunk.Overall, the CME approach helps improve thehigh-temperature resistance and mechanicalstrength of components while at the sametime reducing their weight. “And all this atlower development costs.”

CME will save time and money in other areas,too. Göhler explains that a rhenium-free nick-el-base alloy is being developed at present.This costly alloy constituent accounts for onlythree percent of a conventional turbine blade

For additional information, contactDr. Jörg Eßlinger+49 89 1489-4691


material, but for fully ten percent of its price.Without CME, the expenditure required toreplace this expensive transition metal wouldbe prohibitive. MTU engineers are also usingCME to optimize the heat input generated bylinear friction welding and to assess pores incast parts. “It allows us to evaluate morequickly where pores are tolerable and wherethey aren’t, and to determine how and whereexactly they occur,” adds Dr. Wilfried Smarsly,Representative, Advanced Materials at MTU.“That gives us significantly more flexibility inproduction and design, and increases yieldrates.”

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According to Eßlinger, CME would also be anideally suited tool for the additive manufac-turing technologies that are now emerging:“Here, the problem to solve is to define theranges in which the manufacturing parame-ters for the individual additive processes areallowed to vary.” This determines whether thedesired level of component quality can beachieved in the first place and, if so, what theoptimum parameter values are to achieve lowmanufacturing costs and high quality. Withthe help of the new simulation technique, itwill be possible to judge the potential of theseadditive processes more accurately. More-

over, CME will allow processes suitable forthe manufacture of components to be fine-tuned in terms of buildup time and energyinput required.

MTU is working together with universities onmany topics associated with CME. In theassessment of pores, for example, the com-pany cooperates with Technische UniversitätMünchen. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heike Emmerich,who holds the chair for material and processsimulations at the University of Bayreuth, iscontributing to the work on a rhenium-freesingle-crystal alloy. She is convinced thatCME will in the long term also permit inversematerial design. “That’s where you start withthe desired material properties and tailor theappropriate material to them on the comput-er.”

But things have not got quite that far yet.“Our current top priority is to learn and devel-op our capabilities, with research as a centralelement,” says Eßlinger, who is certain that“CME will soon be a tool we cannot afford todo without.” He expects CME to become ac-cepted as standard industry practice withinfive to ten years. This should please cus-tomers, since “it gives them engines that areoptimized down to the last detail, burn lessfuel, and meet higher performance de-mands.”

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Improved by simulation: After an analysis of various temperature points the parameter rangecan be restricted and the optimum material composition can be found.

Thermodynamic equilibrium: The stable volume share of the precipitates which is decisive forthe material’s strength is predicted based on the Al, Ta and Ti content.

Working shoulder to shoulder: Metallurgists and materials developers are jointly analyzing the material.

The precipitates are clearly visible under the scanning electronmicroscope at 20,000X magnification.

Actual microstructures are quantified by means of digital imageprocessing and compared with the simulation (red = contour data,blue = surface area).

etting a project of such magnitude up and running in noteven half a year—that’s never been done before at MTU,”remarks a delighted Wolfgang Hiereth, Director, GE Pro-grams in Munich. The engine specialists reached a major

milestone on August 24 this year, when they handed over their firstTCF to a delegation of senior General Electric (GE) executives in thetraditional last-bolt ceremony. Production is scheduled to be up to fullcapacity by the end of the year, by which time the production line willbe manufacturing and delivering one complete module each day.“Even here at MTU, hardly any of us really believed that such a swiftramp-up would be possible,” comments Hiereth proudly. “All of theemployees and departments involved did an amazing job; the ramp-upwas a demonstration of perfect teamwork.” The final preparations forfull-capacity assembly operations are now under way. “We’re well ontrack, and will be able to meet our delivery commitments,” reportsHiereth. The results of an MTU audit conducted by Boeing in Septem-ber were highly satisfactory, too, and the airframer has every confi-dence in the company’s reliability. General Electric will start deliveriesto Boeing of the first GEnx engines equipped with the new MTU turbinecenter frame at the end of 2011.

The TCF is the transition duct between the high-pressure and low-pressure turbines, and as such is exposed to extremely harsh operat-ing conditions. Its function is to route the flow of hot gases exiting thehigh-pressure turbine at a temperature of more than 1,000 degreesCelsius past numerous structural components and tubes toward thelow-pressure turbine, keeping aerodynamic losses at a minimum. The

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Big ambitions

January 1, 2012 is set to be a landmark date for MTU Aero Engines:It is the day on which the engine manufacturer will take on full re-sponsibility for a key component of the GEnx engine for the Boeing787 Dreamliner and the new Boeing 747-8. From that day forward,every engine of this type will come with a turbine center frame (TCF)made in Munich. The necessary production line at MTU’s Munichplant is currently being ramped up—in record time.

„G

By Bernd Bundschu

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TCF for the GEnx engine was originally developed by GEand subsequently modified by MTU when the Germancompany joined the program in late 2008 and took overresponsibility for this module. As Hiereth explains: “Fromthe outside, the MTU-designed TCF looks exactly like theoriginal GE version, but on the inside it’s completely dif-ferent. One of the things we did was to optimize the wallsof the hot-gas duct, which makes huge demands on themanufacturing process due to its complex, three-dimen-sional geometry. We also managed to reduce the mod-ule’s weight by optimizing its design.” GE was impressedby and highly appreciative of the design changes under-taken by MTU.

The main component of the TCF is the hub-strut-case(HSC) module, which consists of a hub, twelve struts andthe case. To save weight, the walls of these parts are verythin, but they must nevertheless be strong enough to with-stand the high mechanical and thermal loads resultingfrom the difference in temperature between the ambientair and the engine gases. The engineers’ solution to thischallenge was to manufacture the entire case, down tothe very last bolt, using Inconel, a ductile and extremelyheat-resistant chrome-nickel alloy. “It is a material thatdemands a highly precise machining process,” notes FranzKeller, Foreman, Hub-Strut-Case Production.

MTU has ramped up the TCF production line in record time.

MTU CEO Egon Behle (left) and GEnx Product Manager Tom Walker, GE, at thelast bolt ceremony at MTU in Munich.

The Boeing 747-8F is powered by GEnx engines. MTU contributes the turbine center frame to this new GE engine.

For additional information, contactWolfgang Hiereth+49 89 1489-3501


32 33

MTU started to draw up plans for its innovative hub-strut-case production line in 2008, and commenced installationwork on the new production facility, which covers a sur-face area of 1,100 square meters, in 2010. “The conceptcalled for new machines, new tools, and a completely newprocessing strategy,” recalls Keller. Working hand in handwith the machine-tool manufacturer, the team developedan ultramodern, customized, flexible manufacturing sys-tem capable of processing components with a diameterof up to 1,300 millimeter. The 30-meter-long productionline features combined turning, milling and grinding ma-chines with integrated part and tool measuring systems,automated part feeding, a large tool magazine, and atransfer line with a buffer capacity that allows up totwelve workpieces to be lined up for processing in thevicinity of the workstation. “Working three continuouseight-hour shifts, 24 operators will be producing 240HSC modules per year,” says Keller.

To shield the HSC modules from the heat of the gasesflowing through them, all inner surfaces are provided withthe so-called flowpath hardware (FPH). Peter Dirr,Director, Airfoils and Flowpath Hardware, explains that“the protection consists of a fairing, an inner and an outerpanel, and we need twelve of each of these.” The flow-path hardware is cast in MAR 247, a nickel-based alloywith excellent high-temperature and hot-gas corrosionresistance. MTU has set up an innovative FPH productionline, too, based on a novel concept including automatedpart and tool feeding and an integrated tool and work-piece measurement system that ensures close to zerodeviation from specifications. The results of initial testruns confirm its accuracy. Dirr reports: “Out of the 300to 350 part dimensions inspected, only two or three devi-ated by a hundredth from the specified value. With resultslike these, we will be able to significantly reduce produc-tion costs.”

The two new production lines will ensure a maximum ofefficiency, process stability and component quality, andalso help to shorten turnaround times. Hiereth notes: “Asa result of continuous improvements to the processes,we’ve been able to comply with the specified schedulerequirements and will continue to work toward furtherstreamlining our processes and cutting manufacturingcycle times.” The turbine center frames will be assem-bled on a newly installed, takt-based, moving productionline consisting of seven stations and a pre-assemblyarea. This automated assembly line was yet another forayinto new territory for the engine experts in Munich, andpromises to augment the efficiency of TCF assembly, ac-cording to Hiereth. Training of the assembly-line operatorshas already been completed.

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Soft on the outside,hard on the inside

The cloud looked harmless enough, so the pilots of the Boeing 747-400 decided to fly straightthrough it. Only when the four engines failed and the aircraft began to lose height did they real-ize their mistake. After several attempts, the engines finally sprang back into life, enabling thepilots to make a safe landing. But what exactly had happened? The Boeing had strayed into acloud of volcanic ash and the sharp-edged ash particles had played havoc with its engines,especially the blades. To prevent that from happening in the future, MTU has developed a newcoating.

By Daniel Hautmann

ramatic events such as those recorded on the flight from Amsterdamto Anchorage may be rare, but volcanic ash and other abrasive sub-stances—especially sand, salt and ice—do regularly cause problems.

Their effect, which is similar to rough sandpaper, causes rapid engine wear,with the blades of the high-pressure compressor affected particularly badly.Material is eroded from the pressure side, cracks appear, and the trailingedge is sharpened like a knife. “It’s as if you’d been sandblasting for hours,”says Christoph Heck, Vice President, Marketing & Sales, The Americas atMTU Maintenance Hannover. The result is often a drastic reduction in main-tenance intervals—which drives costs sky-high. And, as if that weren’tenough, the abrasive effect also alters the geometry of the blades, leadingto efficiency losses, increased fuel consumption and higher CO2 emissions.

D

To help remedy this situation, MTU Aero Engines hascome up with ERCoatnt, a new special protective coatingwhich makes the blades and vanes of the high-pressurecompressor more resistant to wear. The coating is appliedby physical vapor deposition (PVD). A high-power arc evap-orates and ionizes the coating material, and the metalvapor condenses on the blades as a microscopic thinfilm. The process can be controlled by adding reactivegases to “tailor the film’s properties nanolayer by nano-layer”, as PVD technology process engineer WolfgangEichmann explains.

The ERCoatnt process involves vapor deposition of morethan just one material. “You need at least one ceramicand one metallic layer,” says Dr. Thomas Uihlein, theoverall project manager. The ceramic layer supplies thenecessary hardness, but would chip and flake off if leftexposed to the impact of grains of sand traveling at1,000 kilometers per hour. That is why engineers add animpact-absorbing metallic layer, explains Uihlein: “That’swhat enables us to achieve high ductility.” Depending onthe component, coatings may be vapor-deposited oneafter the other on an alternating basis. A beneficial side-effect is the fact that the blades become more resilientto the vibrations that occur during flight. As Uihlein ex-

In April 2010, the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull began aneruption that went on for several weeks. Large parts of Europe’sairspace were closed to air traffic as a result—and for good rea-son: Volcanic ash reduces visibility and can potentially causeengine failure. Unlike sand, volcanic ash contains glass-like par-ticles. These particles shatter, which reduces their impact energybut increases their abrasive effect. “We got hold of some of theash and analyzed it,” says Dr. Thomas Uihlein. The results showedthat ERCoatnt can help: “The protection our coatings provideagainst volcanic ash in the compressor is at least as good as theprotection they offer against sand.” Nevertheless, given the riskof damage to the engine and airframe pilots are advised to avoidflying through ash whenever the concentration is high.

Volcanic ash

For additional information, contact:Dr. Thomas Uihlein+49 89 1489-3812

For interesting multimedia services associated with thisarticle, go towww.mtu.de/report

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plains, different materials are used depending on thecomponent’s base material, with examples including tita-nium and titanium nitride, or chromium and chromiumnitride: “It’s important to choose the right material foreach application.”

The idea for the new coating first emerged in 2003. Whenthe first blisks were used, customers asked for these hard-to-repair components to be coated with wear-resistantmaterials to extend their service life. The wars in Afghani-stan and Iraq have also shown just how badly aircraft andhelicopter engines can be affected by dust and sand. SoMTU began developing solutions to tackle this problem.In 2006, MTU was approached by Saudi Arabian Airlines,which runs flights between Medina and Jeddah. The shortflights they are operating in sandstorm-prone desertareas—with numerous take-offs and landings—make high-performance engine materials a must. For test purposes,the German engine specialists installed what are knownas “rainbow engines” in some customers’ aircraft. Thesefeature uncoated and conventionally coated blades aswell as blades with MTU’s ERCoatnt protection side-by-side in the same stage to allow comparisons to be made.

In the case of Saudi Arabian Airlines’ V2500-D5-poweredMD-90 aircraft, the engines were dismantled in 2010,after two years of service and some 3,500 flying hours,and painstakingly examined. Bernd Kriegl, a Munich-based expert in engine repairs, explains what they found:“All the blades and vanes coated with MTU’s ERCoatnt

were still serviceable or repairable, while all the otherblades were heavily eroded and no longer in a repairablecondition. The results showed us that multilayer coatingsperform much better,” he adds.

The use of ERCoatnt makes particular sense in the light ofincreasing air traffic in the Middle East, North Africa andparts of Asia, where deserts are expanding and wheresand can climb to heights of up to 15 kilometers. “The

MTU-coated blades suffer minimal wear in service, so thehigh-pressure compressor will keep performing in itsoptimum range for longer. That increases engine efficien-cy, cuts fuel consumption and reduces CO2 emissions. Italso means that the blades are maintained in a conditionwhere they can still be repaired rather than having to bereplaced,” says Christoph Heck.

With the emissions trading scheme due to come into forcenext year, technologies that help save fuel—such as theMTU-developed coating process—are in great demand.Ultimately, the novel coating offers the potential toensure optimum blade performance for all airlines—notjust those whose aircraft are constantly flying throughsandstorms. Components with ERCoatnt have so farnotched up a total of 15,000 flight hours. Extendedapproval for used and repaired blades is already well ontrack, with approval for the CF6-80 expected to be grant-ed before the end of this year and that for the CFM56 andV2500 to follow in 2012. Perhaps that will go some wayto reducing people’s fear of sandstorms and clouds ofvolcanic ash.

Uncoated and coated compressor blades of a V2500 engine in service with SaudiArabian Airlines after two years of flight operations. The right-hand blade featuresMTU’s erosion protection coating.

Good, better, best: Compressor blades from a CF6-80: uncoated, with conventional coating and with MTU’s erosion protection coating (from left).

Wear-resistant coatings allow military aircraft and helicopters to remain in service forlonger periods, particularly in hot and sandy regions.

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Service in the desertTurkmenistan is pinning its hopes on a golden future—hard to imagine for a country that is mostlydesert. Yet treasure lies beneath the sands in the form of huge deposits of oil and natural gas.The Dauletabad field in the south of the country is one of the world’s largest gas fields. Westerntechnology has been brought in to help the country exploit these natural resources. Among theequipment are three LM2500 DLE units. MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg is responsible formaintaining these industrial gas turbines (IGTs).

urkmenistan is the most southern of theCentral Asian nations. A former Soviet statewhich gained its independence in 1991, it

borders Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan,Iran and—across the Caspian Sea—Azerbaijan.Turkmenistan is slightly larger than the state ofCalifornia in the U.S., but only has around 4.8million inhabitants. Most of the country’s incomecomes from its energy exports, with Turkmen-istan featuring among the world’s top 12 gas pro-ducers and top six gas exporters. Turkmenistanhas also been discussed as a possible gas sup-plier for the European Nabucco project, theplanned alternative gas route to the RussianSouth Stream pipeline.

The Dauletabad gas field is situated some 400kilometers to the south-east of the capital city ofAshgabat in Ahal Province near the borders withIran and Afghanistan. It is named after the near-est settlement just across the border in Iran. Thesize of the natural gas field is estimated at some710 billion cubic meters. The field was first dis-covered in 1974. State-owned company TurkmenGas began exploiting the vast gas resourceseight years later. Some of Dauletabad’s gasmakes its way to Turkmenistan’s neighbor Iran,and also to Europe via Russia. Before the gas canbe transported through the pipeline it has to becompressed. This is accomplished by a numberof compressor stations along the pipeline route.The “Dauletabad-2” station contains three gascompressors, each of which is powered by anLM2500 DLE gas turbine.

The General Electric LM2500 DLE is a derivativeof the CF6-6 aircraft engine. It has a 16-stagecompressor, an annular combustor and a two-stage high-pressure turbine. The downstream freepower turbine boasts high levels of efficiency,and the exhaust gas from the variants equippedwith a Dry Low Emissions (DLE) combustion sys-tem is remarkably clean. The LM2500 is the mostwidely used gas turbine in the 20- to 25-mega-watt class and has been included in MTU’s main-tenance portfolio since 1981. “Our first contactwith TurkmenGas was back in 2005,” recalls RalfKansok, Sales Manager, Africa, Turkey, CentralAsia & Brazil and the person responsible for the

T

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By Bernd Bundschu

TurkmenGas operates three LM2500 DLE industrial gas turbines at its “Dauletabad-2” compressor station. For overhaul the IGT heavyweights are shipped from the Turkmen desert to MTU MaintenanceBerlin-Brandenburg.

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project at MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg. Thecompany has signed contracts worth a total of someeight million U.S. dollars. “The agreement requires us toperform inspections and minor on-site repairs and tooverhaul the three LM2500 DLE gas turbines.” The main-tenance work is carried out at MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg in Ludwigsfelde. Two or three MTU serviceengineers remove the complete gas turbines in Dauleta-bad and ship them to Germany. Once the units have beenoverhauled, they are reinstalled in the compressor stationand put back into operation. The overhaul includes DLEmapping services to increase fuel efficiency and reduceemissions.

But before the MTU service engineers can get down towork on site in Dauletabad, several weeks of prepara-tions are needed to complete the formalities. The journeyof some 4,000 kilometers to travel to Turkmenistan is farfrom easy. MTU’s team starts by taking a plane fromBerlin to Ashgabat via Istanbul, a flight time of some sixhours. After a night in a hotel, they set off the next morn-ing on a six-hour car journey heading south-east alongthe Turkmenistan-Iran border until they reach an en-campment in the middle of the desert, which will be theirhome for nearly two weeks. One person who is always onthe team is project manager Ralf Kansok, who is familiarwith the local circumstances. “Communication is alwaysa tough one on this project,” says Stephen Naumann,Senior Manager, Field Service at MTU Maintenance. “Ifyou don’t speak Russian or have an interpreter then you’restuck. And what makes things worse is that Russian andTurkmen are two different languages.”

Outside Ashgabat, rural life poses some significant chal-lenges. Europeans struggle to get used to the food andaccommodation, and some of the MTU employees havealready experienced health problems as a result of thepoor hygiene standards. Getting to grips with local formalprocedures and decision-making processes, too, is achallenge. Says Kansok: “It’s a tedious process which—from the signing of the contract, through the necessaryapprovals by a myriad of local agencies, authorities andministries—takes months, if not years before you have alegally binding services agreement in hand. Unfortunate-ly, pending the finalization of the contract, activities areput on ice, even if the work is urgently needed to keepthe gas compressor in serviceable condition.”

During the MTU employees’ three-week field service as-signment in July this year, two of the three LM2500s weresuccessfully recommissioned. “This marked a key mile-stone for the project as a whole,” according to Kansok.“We were not at all sure if we could get the installationsup and running again, given that one of the gas turbineshad been out of operation for fully a year, and the othereven for three years. Now the third LM2500 DLE, whichwas long due for major overhaul, too, could be removedand prepared for shipment to Ludwigsfelde.” The operat-ing conditions for gas turbines in Turkmenistan are harsh,

For additional information, contactRalf Kansok+49 3378 824-817

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with cold, damp winters and extremely hot, dry summerswhen temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius. Thesituation is exacerbated by the fine desert sand thataccelerates wear and regularly blocks up the air filters. Ifsomething goes wrong with one of the IGTs, the only solu-tion in most cases is improvisation and patience, be-cause getting hold of spare parts locally is virtually im-possible. “Neither the local operator nor the TurkmenGasheadquarters in Ashgabat have the necessary authorityto procure parts,” says Kansok. “Throw in the fact thatthere is no roaming partner for European cell phones andonly sporadic Internet access, and you see that satellitephones are pretty much the only reliable alternative. Tomake things even more difficult, none of the major inter-national parcel services will deliver to Turkmenistan.” Allthis results in a permanent shortage of spare parts.

The LM2500 gas turbines are disassembled and overhauled in MTU’s Ludwigsfelde shop. MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg is MTU’s center of excellence for IGTs.

Nevertheless, Kansok thinks the situation is improving inTurkmenistan and that plenty of things are changing forthe better: “Since 2006, when a currency reform tookplace, we’ve seen some improvements in infrastructureplus a big drop in the number of security checks all acrossthe country.” In view of the steady increase in energyexports, Kansok feels that the Central Asian countryremains an interesting growth market, especially for MTUMaintenance. “Turkmenistan is already in the process ofbuilding or planning several new compressor stationsequipped with LM2500s for the Dauletabad field.”

Two or three MTU service engineers remove the complete gas turbines in Dauletabadand accompany them to Germany. The experts also supervise reinstallation.

Global

gon Behle has never had any doubt that China isserious about becoming a technology powerhouse.“The country has the resources and the will to cre-

ate a powerful aviation industry.” MTU Aero Engines’ CEOestimates that in the next one to two years a Chineseconsortium will be established to develop a competitiveengine, and, as Behle emphasizes: “We would like to makea contribution.” Working out exactly how this kind ofcommitment could pan out is the job of an interdiscipli-nary MTU team led by Dr. Christian Winkler, Director,Business Development, and Klaus Müller, Senior VicePresident, Corporate Development.

The options range from the development of supplier rela-tionships to collaboration on engine design or setting upa joint venture with Chinese engine manufacturer AVICCommercial Aircraft Engine Company (ACAE). “We arecurrently in the process of performing a cycle studytogether with ACAE, which will enable us to determinewhat an engine for the C919 must be like," says Winkler.


Breathtaking growth rates, plans underway for 45 new airports, a demand for several thousandaircraft, and 160 billion euros in government funding: The news from China shows the country’sdetermination to push forward with its sky-high ambitions. Plans are now on the table to build anew engine for the first short- and medium-range airliner to be made in China, the C919. MTU islooking for ways of contributing its technologies, and the company’s engine experts are busysounding out opportunities for cooperation.

EBy Martina Vollmuth

At the same time, discussions are being held to establishthe terms of a potential joint venture—Müller envisages apartnership similar to the one MTU has in the mainte-nance sector with China Southern Airlines—and contactis being made with suppliers. All these steps are beingcarried out in close consultation with MTU’s strategicpartner, Pratt & Whitney.

Müller and Winkler hope this proactive approach willboost MTU’s presence in China. Müller explains: “Chinais a huge market with breathtaking growth rates and fore-casts. We very much want to be a part of that. But wealso want to make a contribution toward technologicaldevelopment.” Germany’s leading engine manufacturerhas already successfully established itself as a partner toChina Southern Airlines, the country’s biggest airline,through MTU Maintenance Zhuhai. In the ten years sinceit was founded, the engine shop in the Zhuhai SpecialEconomic Zone has developed into the biggest providerof maintenance services for commercial aircraft engines

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Global

For additional information, contactKlaus Müller+49 89 1489-5401

in China, and is now hoping to become the biggest for thewhole of Asia. To boost capacity, the site is now beingexpanded, with the construction work scheduled forcompletion next year. Hoping to play an ever-more activerole in the country, MTU opened a representative officein Shanghai at the beginning of last year to coordinate allthe company’s activities in the region. The office is run byMelody Liu and was set up after MTU and ACAE signedan agreement in late 2009 to perform a joint study to ex-plore options of building a domestic aircraft engineindustry in China. The aim of the study was to evaluatewhat structure a local engine company should adopt to beviable and what technologies will be needed for emergingengines to be successful in the Chinese market. Liu isconfident that the prospects for success are excellent: “IfChina could only choose one partner, it would go forGermany—for German precision coupled with Chinesespeed is a sure-fire recipe for success.”

One thing is clear: The envisaged engine to power theC919 is expected to be at least as good as the CFMInternational Leap-X, which has already been chosen for

the jet. “We want to bring our core competencies to thetable—our low-pressure turbine technology and our high-pressure compressor expertise,” Winkler says. And thatmight only be the start: MTU is also weighing up the pos-sibility of taking on further work packages, additionalmodules and system management tasks. Care must betaken to make absolutely sure that everything MTU con-tributes meets the statutory requirements for export andtechnology transfer abroad, confirms Winkler. “We areworking closely with the Federal Office of Economics andExport Control.”

For the engine experts from Munich a participation in theC919 engine would create a whole new dimension: Nextto the Advanced Regional Jet ARJ21, the Chinese 150-to-190-passenger jet is one of the two aircraft that theChinese are hoping will propel their aviation industry intothe major league. The idea is that the C919 should breakthe existing duopoly of Boeing and Airbus and offer seri-ous competition to the short- and medium-haul A320 andBoeing 737. New aircraft in the narrowbody segment arealso being built by Russia (the MS-21) and Canada (theCSeries). Boeing and Airbus are all too aware of China’senormous clout in the marketplace and are watchingdevelopments very carefully: The schedule drawn up bythe C919 manufacturer, the Commercial Aircraft Corpo-ration of China (COMAC), envisages that the C919’smaiden flight will occur in 2014 and that deliveries of thejets will commence just two years later. COMAC plans toproduce 50 aircraft a year. The company estimatesdomestic and foreign demand to be in the region of 2,000aircraft.

China is vigorously pressing ahead with its plans toexpand the rest of its aviation sector, too. The govern-ment has pledged to invest more than 160 billion eurosin a five-year plan that includes building 45 new airports,expanding and modernizing 88 existing airports and relo-cating a further 20, all by 2015. China’s ambitions alsoextend to the skies: The country aims to increase itspresent aircraft fleet—including the general aviation sec-tor—from 2,400 to 5,000. For now, that means more air-craft purchases, though in the future this demand couldbe covered by domestic production. Air traffic in theworld’s most populous nation is growing at double-digitrates—faster than in any other country—and the pros-pects are huge: The Civil Aviation Administration of China(CAAC) expects passenger numbers to double over thenext five years to between 450 and 500 million. By 2030,it estimates that this number will have risen to some 1.5billion passengers a year, which would make China thebiggest aviation market in the world.

The C919 is the first short- to medium-range jet developed and built in the People’s Republic of China. Its maiden flight is scheduled for 2014.

The new terminal of Beijing Capital International Airports is the largest building of theworld.

Market leader in China: MTU Maintenance Zhuhai maintains V2500 and other engines.

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Report

The “elegant”way to fly

Hans von Ohain was taken aback by the noise and vibrations he expe-rienced on his first flight in an early 1930s passenger plane. But hisdisappointment ultimately led to one of the greatest revolutions everseen in aviation history: The young physicist plunged into the world ofengineering and, with financial support from Ernst Heinkel, developeda novel aircraft engine to power the world's first all-jet aircraft. The jetengine pioneer would have been 100 years old this year.

By Achim Figgen

nyone who has ever taken a long flight in an old pis-ton-engine aircraft—particularly in poor weather andat low altitude—will appreciate just how uncomfort-

able this form of transport must have been. Yet it was still anexpensive luxury that few people could afford at the time.One person who did get the chance to experience it wasHans Joachim Pabst von Ohain, who was born on December14, 1911 in Dessau. He had just turned 20 and was studyingphysics at the University of Göttingen when he took his firstflight in a three-engined Junkers from Cologne to Berlin, butvon Ohain was far from impressed: “The propellers made ahorrendous noise. The airplane rattled because it had pistonengines,” he said, conceding that “it was not as romantic asI thought it would be”. Romantic inclinations are perhaps thelast thing one would expect from an otherwise rationallyminded scientist, but von Ohain had also been a member ofthe university flying club where he had discovered the de-lights of sailing soundlessly through the air in a glider. Hefound it hard to accept that commercial flights could notsomehow be made as gentle and elegant.

A

In May 1981, Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain paid a visit to MTU where Dr. Wolfgang Hansen, MTU’s director, quality assurance explained how the HeS-3B was rebuilt.

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Report

There are only two reconstructions of the world’s first fully functional jet engine. They are now exhibited at Deutsches Museum in Munich and the National Air andSpace Museum in Washington.

The HeS-3B featured an axial and a radial compressor, an annular combustor, and a single-stage radial turbine.

The young Hans Joachim Pabst vonOhain.

Ernst Heinkel (2nd from left) on the test field from which the He 178 took off.

In contrast to many of his more theoreticallyminded colleagues, von Ohain—the son of anoble family from the Belgian town of Ohainwho changed their name from “de Pape” toPabst when they moved to Saxony in the15th century—was no stranger to the practi-cal sides of life. For one thing, he was theproud owner of an automobile, a prestigioushobby that required him to make regular vis-its to a mechanic’s shop. He soon struck upa friendship with the car mechanic Max Hahn,a relationship that would later prove to betremendously fruitful. Back then, Göttingenwas also the place to be for German aero-nautical researchers, playing host to re-nowned professors such as Ludwig Prandtland Theodore von Kármán.

In 1933, during his seventh semester at uni-versity, von Ohain finally began working in

earnest on his idea for a vibration-free air-craft engine. At that time, the piston engine,which used a propeller to move the aircraftforward, was the be-all and end-all of enginedesign. But the physics student decided topursue a different route by attempting toobtain thrust from combustion gases pro-duced by mixing compressed air with fueland igniting them. The idea in itself was noth-ing new; scientists from several Europeancountries had already toyed with this con-cept and filed patents. But Hans von Ohainknew nothing of this, and he did not carryout any research into existing literature, ashe explained years later: “It is better to relyon your own thoughts and invent everythingfrom scratch. This method gives you a goodchance of avoiding the errors that thwartother thinkers.”

It is said that this unconventional approachwas typical of him throughout his life—as washis ability to always find the right backer forhis projects. One example was his doctoraladviser Professor Robert W. Pohl, who quick-ly recognized “the ease with which he canapply his knowledge of theoretical physics topractical problems” and who encouraged hisstudent to put his ideas for a jet engine intopractice. When the preliminary tests per-formed with the help of Max Hahn in the carrepair shop using a simplified engine modelproved unsuccessful, it was again Pohl whotold von Ohain that he lacked “a substantialknowledge of technology” and would need toseek the support of industry to solve criticalissues, particularly his problems with thecombustion chamber.

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1911Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain is born onDecember 14 in Dessau.

1936First meeting with Ernst Heinkel on March 18.

1937The HeS-1 experimental engine is tested for thefirst time—using hydrogen fuel.

1939August 27 marks the maiden flight of the firstaircraft with a jet engine: the He 178 poweredby the HeS-3B.

1941March 30 sees the maiden flight of the He 280fighter jet prototype powered by two HeS-8engines.

1947von Ohain is taken to the U.S. as part of Opera-tion Paperclip where he starts work for the U.S.Air Force as a scientist at Wright Field (knownas Wright-Patterson Air Force Base since 1948).

1949Marries Hanny Schukat in November.

1963Appointed chief scientist of the AerospaceResearch Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AirForce Base.

1975Becomes chief scientist of the Air Force AeroPropulsion Laboratory.

1979After retiring, serves as a professor at theUniversity of Dayton Research Institute.

1998Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain dies inMelbourne, Florida, on March 13.

Hans JoachimPabst von Ohain

Messerschmitt or BMW would have been the logical place to start,but von Ohain made a different choice that at first glance seemed astrange one: He decided to take a gamble on the Heinkel aircraftworks in Rostock. The owner, Ernst Heinkel, who was considered tobe slightly mad, was obsessed with speed, very wealthy, and owneda company that had never before had anything to do with enginedesign. But in von Ohain’s mind, this was the perfect choice, becausehe feared that a manufacturer of piston engines would reject his rev-olutionary ideas, which so far only existed on paper.

The decision turned out to be a good one: On March 3, 1936,Professor Pohl wrote a letter of recommendation to Heinkel, who metup with von Ohain for the first time just 15 days later. The two mensigned a contract on April 3, and von Ohain’s capable colleague MaxHahn was taken on board at the same time. Heinkel had eagerly takenthe bait and provided the young Dr. von Ohain—he had completed hisPh.D. in physics in 1935—with all the financial and staffing support heneeded, thereby giving him a critical edge over his British counterpartFrank Whittle, whose ideas had met with a remarkable lack of inter-est. So it was that the German test pilot Erich Warsitz became thefirst person to fly a jet-engined aircraft on August 27, 1939 with thesuccessful maiden flight of a purpose-built Heinkel He 178 equippedwith an HeS-3B jet engine—almost two years before the British GlosterE.28/39 with its Whittle W.1 engine finally embarked on its first flighton May 15, 1941.

With typical modesty—even his future parents-in-law did not knowtheir daughter was engaged to marry the inventor of the jet engineuntil the actual wedding—von Ohain always insisted that he couldnever have implemented his designs without the help of people suchas Ernst Heinkel and Max Hahn. Yet it seems likely that an equallyimportant factor on top of his extraordinary technical expertise washis personality: Friendly and engaging, von Ohain motivated his col-leagues and staff to excel at what they did and secured all the sup-port he needed to further his own work. This was just as true during

For additional information, contactOdilo Mühling+49 89 1489-2698


his time at the University of Göttingen and at Heinkel as it was duringhis subsequent work in the United States.

After World War II, von Ohain was brought to the U.S. by ‘OperationPaperclip’ together with many other key German researchers. Hespent many years working as a scientist at various U.S. Air Forceresearch institutes in Ohio. After retiring, he became a professor at

the University of Dayton, to some extent fulfilling a dream he had har-bored in his earlier years of becoming a tenured professor at a Germanuniversity.

“Hans von Ohain is a great example of German innovation and engi-neering skills which continue to enjoy an outstanding reputation allover the world,” enthuses Dr. Rainer Martens, Chief Operating Officerat MTU Aero Engines. Germany’s leading engine manufacturer seesitself as part of this tradition and keeps the flame of von Ohain’s lega-cy alive: In the late 1970s and early 1980s MTU produced two recon-structions of the He S 3B, the world’s first fully functional jet engine,with the support of the pioneer himself. They are now exhibited atDeutsches Museum in Munich and the National Air and Space Museumin Washington. The engine industry has since become a global busi-ness and, as Martens emphasizes, it remains a genuinely high-techsegment that offers solid and secure employment to many thousandsof people across Germany—in no small measure thanks to the foun-dations von Ohain laid. “We are obviously proud of ‘our’ Hans vonOhain,” he adds.

With his background in physics, von Ohain essentially came to theindustry as an outsider, and Martens has long pondered the questionof whether someone like him would nowadays have any chance ofending up as an engine designer. As MTU’s chief operating officernotes, there is an ongoing need for engineers with a thorough ground-ing in theoretical science, “and there is no reason they couldn’t bephysicists.”

Report

The Heinkel He 178 was the world’s first all-jet aircraft. Two aviation pioneers: On October 26, 1979 Sir Frank Whittle (2nd from left) andDr. Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain (2nd from right) met in Washington.

Peter Pletschacher, Josef Hareiner, Dr. Walter Rathjen and Dr. Wolfgang Hansen (from left) accompany Ohain and his wifeon a company tour of MTU’s Munich facility.

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In Brief

Printed byEBERL PRINT GmbHKirchplatz 687509 Immenstadt • Germany

Contributions credited to authors do not neces-sarily reflect the opinion of the editors. We willnot be held responsible for unsolicited material.Reprinting of contributions is subject to the editors’ approval.

Masthead

EditorMTU Aero Engines GmbHEckhard ZangerSenior Vice President Corporate Communicationsand Public Affairs

Managing editorTorunn SieglerTel. +49 89 1489-6626Fax +49 89 [email protected]

Editor in chiefMartina VollmuthTel. +49 89 1489-5333Fax +49 89 [email protected]

AddressMTU Aero Engines GmbH Dachauer Straße 66580995 Munich • Germanywww.mtu.de

RealizationHeidrun Moll

Editorial staffBernd Bundschu, Denis Dilba, Achim Figgen, Silke Hansen, Daniel Hautmann, Odilo Mühling,Andreas Spaeth, Martina Vollmuth

LayoutManfred Deckert Sollnerstraße 73 81479 Munich • Germany

MTU Aero EnginesEurofighter GmbH; Fotolia; MTU Aero EnginesAirTeamImages; MTU Aero EnginesAir New Zealand; DHK; MTU AeroEnginesAndreas Spaeth; Mitsubishi AircraftCooperation; MTU Aero EnginesBundesverband der Deutschen Luft-und Raumfahrtindustrie e.V. (BDLI);Eurofighter GmbH; MTU Aero EnginesGE - Aviation; Sikorsky Aircraft Co-operation; MTU Aero EnginesAirbus, Bombardier; Clean Sky JointUndertaking; Pratt & WhitneyMTU Aero EnginesMTU Aero EnginesUS Air Force; MTU Aero EnginesMTU Aero EnginesCommercial Aircraft Corporation ofChina (COMAC); Foster + Partners;Fotolia; MTU Aero EnginesDeutsches Museum; MTU Aero EnginesAeromexico; Boeing; MTU Aero Engines

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For MTU Aero Engines, this year’s Paris Air Show was a huge success: In late June,MTU CEO Egon Behle reported that the company had bagged orders in the totalamount of more than 600 million euros. “That’s a figure that is twice as high astwo years ago,” explained Behle. Deals have been concluded for the PurePower®

PW1000G geared-turbofan family, the GEnx engine powering the Boeing 747-8,and the popular V2500 for standard A320 jets.

MTU will soon use finished parts made in China to manufacture commercial engine compo-nents. At the Aviation Expo China in late September, Germany’s leading engine manufacturerand Chinese company Xi’an Aero-Engine Plc. (XAE) concluded a deal for the supply of a totalof 53 finished parts—rotating and stationary rings, disks, and small turned/milled parts—foruse in the commercial engines V2500, GP7000, PW2000 and smaller Pratt & Whitney Canadaengines. The first deliveries are scheduled to arrive at MTU in Munich early next year. Thevalue of the procurement contracts is expected to increase to six million euros by 2016.

U.S. company TECT Power will deliver as many as800 compressor blisks a year to MTU under astrategic agreement concluded for the term of tenyears. MTU is among the world’s most highly expe-rienced blisk manufacturers and estimates its an-nual production volume at 4,000 of these integral-ly bladed disks. The components will be producedat MTU’s plant in Munich and in the U.S., withevery fifth blisk being supplied by TECT Power aspart of the cooperative effort.

MTU scores bigat Le Bourget

New supplier from China

Blisks fromTECT Power

A new agreement now concluded opens thedoor for MTU to expand into the Central andSouth American CF34-10 market: AeroMexicoConnect has concluded an exclusive con-tract with MTU Maintenance Berlin-Branden-burg and will send all of its engines of thistype—up to 37 propulsion systems in total—tothe Ludwigsfelde-based company for MRO

CF34s from Mexico

MTU Maintenance Zhuhaiand Skynet Asia Airwayssign contractMTU Maintenance Zhuhai and Japanese Skynet AsiaAirways (SNA) will be cooperating on the mainte-nance of CFM56-7 engines operated by the airline. Acontract to this effect was inked by Toshio Kurokawa,General Manager, Maintenance and Engineering, SNA,and Holger Sindemann, President MTU MaintenanceZhuhai, at the Aviation Expo China in late Septem-ber. The agreement now concluded runs for an initialfive years; if renewed for another five years, it willcover the engines powering 13 Boeing 737NG jetsthat are currently going into service with theJapanese airline.

The new Boeing 747-8 was one of the major attractions at this year’s Paris Air Show. The air-craft is powered by GEnx engines.

The CF34-10 engines powering Aeromexico’s Embraer 190 regional jets are maintained by MTU MaintenanceBerlin-Brandenburg.

Signed a cooperation agreement:Toshio Kurokawa, General Manager,maintenance and engineering, SNA(left) and Holger Sindemann, Presidentand CEO, MTU Maintenance Zhuhai

Robert S. Cohen, President of TECT Power (left) talk-ing to MTU COO Dr. Rainer Martens.

services. The agreement covers the enginespowering the operator’s current fleet of eightEmbraer 190 regional jets, plus another nineof the twinjet it has on firm order. The dealwill run until 2022 and be worth at least 57million euros (79 million U.S. dollars) in rev-enues for MTU.

MTU Aero Engines has taken an 18-percent share in the PurePower®

PW1100G-JM engine program which is currently being developed forthe emerging Airbus A320neo aircraft family. This has been agreedbetween MTU, JAEC and Pratt & Whitney, the leading OEM partnercompany in this program. According to the agreement, MTU will alsotake on a portion of the final engine assembly and test of thePW1100G – a new role for MTU in a high-volume commercial engineprogram. “We are very proud to have succeeded in increasing ourprogram share and taking on a major role in engine assembly. Ourparticipation in the geared turbofan engine programs will be a majordriver of future growth for MTU”, said MTU CEO Egon Behle.

MTU Aero Engines takes 18-percent share inthe PurePower® PW1100G-JM engine program

The 18-percent share in the PW1100G-JM program for the A320neoaircraft family is three percent more than the previously agreed sharesin the other PurePower® engine programs. In addition to the completelow-pressure turbine and the first four stages of the high-pressurecompressor (HPC), MTU will provide the brush seals. Also new is amanufacturing portion of HPC nickel blisks. The portion of final en-gine assembly and test is also included in MTU’s increased work-share. Furthermore, both partners have agreed to raise MTU’s stakein the PW1500G engine program for Bombardier CSeries aircraft from15 to 17 percent.

Documents

Top-notch service and support for the giant · Top-notch service and support for the giant By Silke Hansen MTU Maintenance has been successful in signing up three customers for the