At a press conference with Aerion Corporation last month, GE Aviation (
www.geaviation.com) announced that it has completed the initial design of its Affinity turbofan — the first supersonic engine purpose-built for business jets.
Timed to meet the launch of Aerion’s AS2 supersonic business jet, the Affinity is said to integrate “a unique blend” of military supersonic experience, commercial reliability and the most advanced business jet engine technologies.
It is a twin-shaft twin-fan turbofan controlled by a next-generation Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) for enhanced dispatch reliability and onboard diagnostics.
The engine is designed for efficient supersonic flight over water and efficient subsonic flight over land — and to meet stringent Stage 5 subsonic noise requirements (plus current emissions standards).
Brad Mottier, GE’s general manager for business and general aviation and integrated services, said: “Business aircraft speeds have increased by less than 10% in the last 50 years.
"Meanwhile, the cabins have increased in size and become more comfortable — and the range is longer. The next step is more speed — made possible by GE’s Affinity.”
After two years of preliminary study, GE Aviation and Aerion launched a formal process in May 2017 to define and evaluate a final engine configuration for the AS2.
Aerion CEO Tom Vice said: “Our mission is to enhance global mobility with supersonic speed, starting with business aviation and following with successively faster and larger designs for business and commercial aviation.
"GE Aviation is making this new efficient supersonic era possible through its pioneering work on the Affinity engine.”