PHOENIX, Ariz., 11 April 2005. Honeywell announced today that a production configuration F124-GA-200 engine equipped with a new Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC) based on its Modular Aerospace Control (MAC) platform flew for the first time in Aermacchi's M-346 advanced trainer.
The F124 engine is built by the International Turbine Engine Corporation (ITEC), a joint venture between Honeywell and the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) of the Republic of China, Taiwan. ITEC has delivered five F124 engines to Aermacchi for the M-346 flight test program and will deliver two more in 2006 to support the M-346 program.
The MAC based FADEC is scalable, adaptable and is fault-tolerant. The key technology enabler in this new FADEC is the use of Time Triggered Protocol (TTP) for inter-module communication. TTP removes the complex interdependencies among modules, simplifying initial application development as well in-service changes and upgrades. It allows all modules in a system to see all data all of the time-ensuring seamless fault accommodation without complex channel-change logic. Honeywell's dual-channel FADEC design for the M-346 is among the first aerospace uses of a time-triggered protocol (TTP) bus.
"MAC delivers improved data flow and redundancy management as compared to traditional dual channel electronic engine controls," said Nick Stanage, vice president & general manager, Engines Systems & Accessories. "Using TTP communications protocol, the MAC FADEC provides independence of safety critical functions in the engine."
Based on the success of the flight test program, Aermacchi is including MAC controls on all M-346 engines.
"The engine and new control performed flawlessly during a 25 hour flight clearance campaign," Stanage said. "We are well positioned to support the advanced phase of flight testing on the M-346."
Aermacchi's M-346 Chief Project Engineer, Claudio Iaia, recognized this success saying, "this achievement provides the opportunity to accelerate our schedule. We will have two aircraft powered by MAC equipped F124s on display at Le Bourget this year".
The F124-GA-200 is the latest variant in the F-124 family that includes the F124-GA-100 for the Aero Vodochody/CzAF L-159 and the Boeing/DARPA X-45A UCAV, as well as the afterburning TFE1042 for the AIDC/Republic of China Air Force IDF.
Honeywell International is a $26 billion diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, Chicago and Pacific Stock Exchanges. It is one of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. For more information, see www.honeywell.com.
Based in Phoenix, Honeywell's aerospace business is a leading global provider of integrated avionics, engines, systems and service solutions for aircraft manufacturers, airlines, business and general aviation, military, space and airport operations.
