Indian civil aircraft project scouts engines

The Indian national civil aircraft (NCAD) development programme, looking to field an Indian designed and built airliner by the end of this decade, is now officially scouting for engines for its twin-engine configuration. With a special purpose vehicle in the works, with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) as lead agencies, the project has formally called for information from international engine houses to respond by February 14 with possible propulsion systems to power the 100-seater aircraft platform envisaged.

According to the request for information (RFI), accessed by SP's, "The aircraft will be configured around a proven high technology propulsion system, which would offer advantage of reduced cost, reduced fuel burn and emissions, and longer maintenance intervals. Present estimates show that such an engine will be required around 2017 time frame." According to data released for the first time, the engines required will be in the 40-80kN power range. The project office has said in the RFI it required 10 engine sets (20 engines) in 2017, and then approximately 1,000 sets at the rate of 80 engine sets per year over a 20 year period at peak production phase. As reported earlier by SP's, the NCAD programme envisages an investment of 7,500 crore— 4,500 crore in design and 3,000 crore for prototype production, which intends to field a prototype in the next six years. HAL's Aero Engine Research and Design Centre in Bangalore has provided prospective design houses with a broad spectrum of requirements in terms of overall thrust at different altitudes and other parameters. Companies that have received the RFI include Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, GE Aviation, CFM International and PowerJet (a joint venture of NPO Saturn and Snecma).