Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast today announced its involvement in a major five-year UK national research programme aimed at improving the environmental performance of aircraft engines.
Led by Rolls-Royce, the £95 million ‘Environmentally Friendly Engine’ (EFE) programme is a key element of the National Aerospace Technology Strategy, and involves 11 leading UK organisations from industry and academia.
The EFE programme is focusing on developing and validating key technologies to reduce emissions, fuel burn and noise from aircraft, and supports the environmental performance targets set by the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE).
Bombardier Aerospace is spearheading the £6m Power Plant package of the programme, which includes exploring new nacelle design concepts that will help reduce weight, drag and noise.
Bombardier’s Belfast team is looking both at advanced nacelle design concepts and ways of taking advantage of new manufacturing processes and materials. Key technologies being examined include a new thrust reverser configuration, electric ice protection for the nacelle inlet, high performance acoustic treatments, and nacelle shapes that will reduce aerodynamic drag. In addition, the company will be working closely with Queen’s University, Belfast, which is one of the academic institutions involved in the programme.
Commenting on Bombardier’s involvement in the EFE programme, Michael Ryan, Vice-President and General Manager, Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for us to hone our skills in nacelle design and to further develop and validate some of the technologies we have already been working on.
“Bombardier takes its environmental responsibilities extremely seriously, and over the years we have continued to invest in and successfully apply new technologies to our aircraft programmes in order to offer customers products that are more fuel efficient, with lower emissions, reduced noise, and with lower operating costs. The EFE programme affords us the opportunity to continue our research into technologies that will ultimately result in more environmentally friendly aircraft of the future.”
Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast, is a centre of excellence for the design, development, manufacture and support of aircraft engine nacelles. It provides complete nacelles for the engines that power Bombardier’s regional jets and some of its business aircraft, as well as major nacelle components that are in service on a range of other aircraft.
Last December, the company announced its involvement in another national research programme, the Integrated Wing Programme, which is aimed at developing a new generation of aircraft wings.
The Environmentally Friendly Engine programme is jointly funded by industry, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), Ministry of Defence and Regional Development Agencies, including Invest Northern Ireland.
About Bombardier
A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from regional aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2007, were $14.8 billion US, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). News and information are available at www.bombardier.com.
Note to editors
Bombardier’s investment in the power plant nacelle package of the EFE programme amounts to £3.1m
Invest Northern Ireland’s investment amounts to £1.1m
DIUS’s investment in the package amounts to £2m
For information
Alec McRitchie
Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast
+44 (0)28 9073 3515
Helen Gregory
Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast
+44 (0)28 9046 2463
www.bombardier.com