Pratt & Whitney/Allison 578-DX

The Pratt & Whitney/Allison 578-DX was an experimental aircraft engine, a hybrid between a turbofan and a turboprop known as a propfan. The 578-DX was developed as a joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and Allison. Unlike the competing General Electric GE-36 UDF, the 578-DX was fairly conventional, having a reduction gearbox between the LP turbine and the propfan blades. Noise considerations, plus a significant reduction in the real cost of aviation fuel, brought the NASA funded program to a halt

The engine was tested with 11.6 ft propfans in 1989 on a modified MD-80.^[1]

Specifications

Data from Air Progress

General characteristics

• Type: Propfan
• Length:
• Diameter:
• Dry weight:

Components

• Compressor:
• Fuel type: Aviation kerosene to MIL-F-5624E / JP-4 / JP-5

Performance

• Maximum thrust: 20,000 lb
• Power-to-weight ratio:

See also

Comparable engines

• General Electric GE36
• Progress D-27
• Rolls-Royce RB3011

Related lists

• List of aircraft engines

References

• Flight International (2007-07-12). "Whatever happened to propfans?". Retrieved 2007-07-14. 

External links

• titanium-aluminide New-Generation GE Open Rotor and Regional Jet Engine Demo Efforts Planned
• "Green sky thinking - carbon credits and the propfan comeback?", Flight International, June 12, 2007.
• "The Short, Happy Life of the Prop-fan" AirSpaceMag.com