Design and Development
A dual spool, axial air flow, annular combustion, high by-pass, turbo fan, dual channel FADEC computer controlled turbine engine.
The first PW2000 series engine, the PW2037, powered the Boeing 757-200 and entered service with Delta Air Lines as the civil aviation launch customer for the new engine type.
In 1984, Pratt and Whitney was the first engine designer to certify a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system available for civil aviation use. Operating with two independent channels for control and redundancy, the new FADEC system not only made it easier for flight crews to manage engine control, but also made the engine much more efficient.
Other than the 757, the PW2000 series engines also power the C-17 Globemaster III military transport; the United States Department of Defense designation for the engine is F117, with the specific variant used on the C-17 being the F117-PW-100. The powerplant first flew on the C-17 in 1991.
The PW2000 also powered the abortive Ilyushin Il-96M; the engine first flew on the Il-96M in 1993.
The current build standard is the PW2043, launched in 1994, which provides over 43,000 lbf (190 kN) thrust. The PW2043 provides good fuel efficiency and additional thrust capability at high altitudes and/or elevated temperatures. Current engines can be converted to a PW2043 through minor modification. An improved PW2043 version, offers better reliability, durability and reduced total maintenance cost.
On October 16, 2008 the NTSB recommended that the FAA issue urgent new inspection procedures for aircraft (Boeing 757 models) using the PW2037 model of the engine. This came about after an investigation started after the engine failed during an August 2008 Delta Air Lines flight out of Las Vegas, Nevada. The NTSB recommended that the FAA order PW2037 engines removed from service for inspections if they have more than a threshold of flight hours or flight cycles, and be reinspected at regular intervals. The specific threshold was not named but was recommended to be significantly less than the number of flight hours (10,880 flight hours) or flight cycles (4,392 cycles) of the engine that failed in August 2008.
MTU Aero Engines holds a 21.2% stake in the engine, having developed the low-pressure turbine and turbine exit casing as well as producing critical parts of the low-pressure turbine, the turbine exhaust casing, high-pressure compressor and high-pressure turbine components.
Read more about this topic: Pratt & Whitney PW2000
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