Nexcelle recently delivered nacelles for the first two GE Aviation Passport engines that will power Bombardier’s new Global 7000. In September, the integration of the nacelles and engines was completed at GE’s Peebles test facility in Ohio, and the first two powerplants have since been delivered to Bombardier’s Toronto manufacturing facility, where they were installed on the first flight test vehicle (FTV1).
Though Bombardier has chosen to delay the Global 7000 development program by around a year, Nexcelle is expecting to maintain the planned rate of nacelle deliveries so that the airframer can prepare all the required test aircraft head of flight testing. The first nacelles were delivered on time and almost all ground testing for these units is complete, with another 225-cycle test still to be conducted by Nexcelle, which is a joint venture between GE Aviation’s Middle River Aircraft Systems division and Safran’s Aircelle subsidiary (Booth N5317). The nacelle has already been flight tested for more than 100 hours on another engine fitted on GE’s Boeing 747 testbed.
The Passport engine’s nacelle consists of three major components: the inlet, fan cowl and thrust reverser. The aluminum inlet was designed to reduce aerodynamic drag. Other innovative features include an anti-ice system that redirects warm air through a nozzle and a 360-deg, single-section extended composite inner barrel that gives acoustic protection against lower engine noise levels.
Aerodynamic efficiency also is enhanced by target-type thrust reversers with kicker plates and a fixed nozzle that improve cruise performance, as well as thrust efficiency in reverse mode. The clamshell-shaped composite fan cowl makes maintenance easier.
Meanwhile, Nexcelle also is developing the integrated nacelle for the CFM International Leap-1C engine that will power China’s new Comac C919 airliner.
