MTU Aero Engines has just passed another significant milestone when yesterday, in France's Toulouse, an Airbus A340 for the first time took off with a PW1000G Geared TurbofanTM engine demonstrator on its wing. The demonstrator completed the flight, about two hours in duration, without a hitch. Germany's leading engine manufacturer contributes the high-pressure compressor plus a key component, the high-speed low-pressure turbine, to the innovative geared turbofan concept. The engine program is being pursued jointly by Pratt & Whitney and MTU. The new propulsion concept will provide drastic improvements in fuel burn, CO2 emission, engine noise, and maintenance cost.

Already, first orders are on hand. Mitsubishi and Bombardier have selected the geared turbofan as the exclusive powerplant for their upcoming regional jets, scheduled to fly in 2013. "For us, that's a foot in the door of an attractive future market," said MTU CEO Egon Behle. For his company, the two regional jet programs are worth some 11 billion euros in potential revenues over the life of the programs. Behle continued to add: "The geared turbofan would also make an ideal engine for new short- and medium-haul Boeing and Airbus airliners."

Prior to its flight on an A340, the geared turbofan in summer had undergone flight testing on the wing of a Boeing 747. During the 43-hour trials, the engine confirmed the projected reductions in fuel burn and CO2 emission, both savings being in the double-digit percent range. Pratt & Whitney and Airbus now intend to shore up re-sults: in a 75-hour flight test schedule they want to tackle performance as well as noise issues. They also hope to obtain reliable installation and usage data.

With a workforce of 7,100 people, MTU Aero Engines is Germany's leading engine manufacturer and one of the major players in the engine business. In fiscal 2007 the company posted almost 2.6 billion euros in sales. In the commercial area, MTU is the world's largest independent provider of engine maintenance services. In the military arena, it is Germany's industrial lead company for practically all engines flown by the country's armed forces. Having carved out leading positions in engine technologies, the company excels in low-pressure turbines, high-pressure compressors, engine control units, and manufacturing and repair techniques.