Article Posted on : - Apr 14, 2010

MC-21 of Irkut Corporation.

MOSCOW (BNS): Russia’s Irkut Corporation and Pratt & Whitney have signed a contract for the companies to begin preliminary design activities on the Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1400G engine, which was selected to power the Irkut MC-21 aircraft.

According to the contract, a third airframe application will be developed for the PurePower engine, which will provide a significant reduction in fuel burn and noise with lower environmental emissions and operating costs than today’s engines.

"We are pleased to work with Irkut. Our Geared Turbofan™ engine architecture offers unprecedented advantages in the reduction of fuel burn, noise, emissions and operating costs," said Todd Kallman, president, Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines & Global Services, as per the Pratt & Whitney news release.

The PurePower PW1000G engine features an advanced gear system that allows the engine’s fan to operate at a slower speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The combination of the gear system and an advanced core delivers double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency and environmental emissions and a 50 percent reduction in noise as well as reduced maintenance costs.

Irkut Corporation plans to develop the MC-21 as a family of 150 to 210-passenger aircraft with the first flight planned for 2014 and entry into service in 2016.