united319 From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 513 posts, RR: 0 Posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 21 hours ago) and read 4248 times:
Hi All,
Please forgive me if this is a silly question or if it has been answered already. I searched and couldn't find anything. Could and airline re-engine it's aircraft with a different type? With all of the mergers going on these days airlines are getting the same type of aircraft with different engine variants. Could they theoretically change the engine type when it is time for the engines to get major overhauls any way? Example, UA fleeting its 757's with all RR or PW, US fleeting its A320 family with all IAE or CFMs.
BreninTW From Taiwan, joined Jul 2006, 1446 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 20 hours ago) and read 4244 times:
In brief, yes they can.
There's a 747 flying around that had an engine type change at some point in its life. One of CX's 777-300s was originally built with GE engines (I believe) but was changed to RR engines prior to being delivered.
However, if it's economically viable to change engines is an entirely different question. There are major interface differences between the plane-engine interfaces for different engines. It's a major undertaking to change engines on a frame.
The 787 was supposed to have a common interface between the GE and RR engines. Unfortunately it hasn't happened "as advertised."
I'm tired of the A vs. B sniping. Neither make planes that shed wings randomly!
tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 12709 posts, RR: 81 Reply 2, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 20 hours ago) and read 4218 times:
Quoting BreninTW (Reply 1): The 787 was supposed to have a common interface between the GE and RR engines. Unfortunately it hasn't happened "as advertised."
The 787 still can swap engines without rewiring, new avionics, or new software, which is a huge advance over prior aircraft vis a vis engine changes. As far as I know, it's the only current airliner that was designed to have the engines swapped after initial assembly.
The original goal was common interface for both GE and RR engines so you could just drop one engine (and nacelle) and put on the other. That did not happen but they are common at the strut/wing interface. So you drop the engine, nacelle, and strut, then put on the new ones. Not as convenient as originally envisioned but still a whole heap better than anything else out there currently.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21460 posts, RR: 24 Reply 3, posted (1 year 4 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 3890 times:
Quoting BreninTW (Reply 1): One of CX's 777-300s was originally built with GE engines (I believe) but was changed to RR engines prior to being delivered.
I think you're referring to the very first 777 built, a 777-200 (not a 300) that spent 6 years with Boeing and was then refurbished, reengined from PW to RR, and sold to CX. The aircraft below.
Quoting BreninTW (Reply 1): There's a 747 flying around that had an engine type change at some point in its life.
A couple of Atlas Air 747-200s were converted from PW to GE. One of them below (same aircraft in all photos). That aircraft was written off after a runway overrun accident at DUS in 2005.
And 110 -60 series DC-8s were converted from the original PW JT3Ds to CFM56s in the early to mid-1980s, resulting a major improvement in performance and economics, not to mention a big reduction in noise..
KGRB From United States of America, joined Sep 2010, 613 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (6 months 1 week 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 2368 times:
Quoting jshjrm5 (Reply 4): I am wondering if it would be possible to engine an MD-88 with the MD-90 engines. This would greatly increase their fuel efficiency.
While it would undoubtedly increase fuel efficiency, I doubt it would be economically viable to make the investment into an airframe that has few years left in it. Not only would an airline have to pay for the retrofit, but it would have to pay the certificaton costs as well since an MD-80 reengineing program does not exist at this point.
It may not be possible anyways. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the reason the MD-90 was stretched a few rows was to accomidate for the increased weight of the IAE engines (i.e. keep if from being tail heavy). To add frames to the MD-80 fuselage would be a major undertaking and may not be technically possible.
strfyr51 From United States of America, joined Apr 2012, 488 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 2367 times:
It's not a matter of COULD it be done but is it Cost effective to do it?
I work at United and the S-co 757's fly the Rolls engine. While the S-ua 757's fly the PWA 2040's . each does the Job it's assigned to and each will have it's own cost analysis. what 's the answer? I have no Idea what the costs are But someone Does and that will come to light when we order newer airplanes.
AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26 Reply 7, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 2367 times:
NorthStarDC4M From Canada, joined Apr 2000, 2804 posts, RR: 41 Reply 8, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2367 times:
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Quoting jshjrm5 (Reply 4):
I am wondering if it would be possible to engine an MD-88 with the MD-90 engines. This would greatly increase their fuel efficiency.
McDD did do some preliminary offers on an MD-90-10 which would of been MD8x aircraft reengined and with updated avionics. Alaska and Delta I think were the primary targets? They also offered the Super-9 program to AC and NW in the early 90s to do something similar (but with RR Tay or PW JT8D-21x engines) to DC-9-30/-40/-50.
I'll see if i can find the brochures at home later... not alot on them though as i recall.
Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.
jshjrm5 From United States of America, joined Nov 2012, 6 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (4 months 1 week 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 1553 times:
I see on a website that DL has purchased an MD-87, N476DN, from SAS. Is this another bird for parts or is it being added to the fleet??? I know the MD-90s they are purchasing are going into service, I am just wondering about the MD-80 series they are purchasing second hand.
MarkC From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 259 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (4 months 1 week 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 1352 times:
Its about certification. DC8's could do it because of the vast amount of engines involved.
There was also some 747-200's re-engined from JT9-7's to JT9D-7R4G2's on cargo planes. It actually caused an increase in demand for -7R4G2 parts. Belive me, a much different engine. Its because this engine was certified to 747-200's and -300's.
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