NOAA 'Hurricane Hunter' completes first flight with enhanced Rolls-Royce T56
The WP-3D aircraft of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) completed its first flight with four Series 3.5 engines on June 3 at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, US.
The Series 3.5 engine enhancement specifications provide for 7.9 percent reduction in fuel use, although preliminary results from the NOAA flight demonstrated more than 12 percent improvement. The NOAA flight tests also showed significantly lower turbine temperatures, improved high-altitude performance and included much faster engine starts.
The enhancement package allows T56 engines to operate at greatly reduced temperatures, extending parts life and improving reliability by 22 percent. The Series 3.5 package can be installed on T56 engines on either P-3 or C-130 legacy aircraft.
Phil Burkholder, Rolls-Royce President - Defense North America, said, “We congratulate the ‘Hurricane Hunters’ from NOAA for completion of their first flight with the Rolls-Royce T56 Series 3.5 enhancements. The improved fuel economy and enhanced performance demonstrate the value from the Series 3.5 package – operators will benefit from lower operating costs and improved reliability.”
NOAA Corps Commander Devin Brakob said, “Many of the missions we fly take us far from home base and land, so fuel-efficiency and engine reliability are critical. NOAA is counting on these Series 3.5 engines to take us further, longer, and higher to collect data previously not attainable by the NOAA WP-3Ds.”
NOAA contracted with Rolls-Royce for standard overhauls and technology insertion in ten engines for its two WP-3D aircraft and spares. The Series 3.5 technology, which is based on proven advances from other Rolls-Royce engines, can be added during regular overhauls and requires no changes to the aircraft or controls.
The first NOAA WP-3D aircraft will re-enter service in the near future in time for the 2015 hurricane season. The second aircraft is undergoing upgrades including the Series 3.5 package and will be ready for service in 2016.
The highly trained men and women from NOAA fly directly into storms in sensor-packed planes to gather data that forecasters need to monitor hurricanes and predict their path. NOAA uses two types of aircraft to gather data on hurricanes—the four-engine Lockheed Martin WP-3D Orion turboprop, and a Gulfstream IV-SP jet, powered by two Rolls-Royce Tay engines.
The T56 Series 3.5 engine enhancement package has also completed all requirements for US Air Force qualification on the C-130 and received FAA certification for the commercial version of the T56 engine. The US Air Force has estimated that incorporating the engine enhancement into its C-130 fleet would save $2 Billion, while extending the life of the fleet for decades.
