40
TURBINE ENGINES OF THE WORLD
ing of the LTS101 started in the June 1972 as a company-
financed programme to provide an engine for the Bell and
Hughes designs for the Army Aerial Scout (AAS) helicopter
programme. Cancellation of this programme in t h a t year
led Lycoming to develop the engine for the commercial
market, with FAA certification planned for this year, and
production deliveries planned to start in 1975. A Bell 206A
JetRanger fitted with an LTS101 began tethered hover tests
in May 1973, followed by a first flight in September, and by
November some 2,200hr test-running had been completed.
This figure should rise to 4,000hr by certification date. The
LTS101, with competitors in the Turbomeca Arriel, Allison
Model 250-C developments and the projected Rolls-Royce
(1971) 500-600 s.h.p. turboshaft, has no firm application as
yet. It is being considered by Agusta for its new twin-engined
A-129 improved version of the A-109 Hirundo helicopter,
and by Aerospatiale for its projected twin-engined SA.366
helicopter. Other possibilities are in re-engined versions of
the Bell OH-58 and Hughes OH-6 for the US Army's proposed
Advanced Scout Helicopter (ASH) programme. Likely price
for the LTS101 is around $25,000, £10,000.
LTS101 Single-stage axial plus single-stage centrifugal com-
pressor with integral inlet particle Sep; - ' o r , reverse-flow
annular combustor, single-stage compressor and power
turbines. Integral front-mounted gearbox. Take-off 592 s.h.p.;
pressure ratio 8-4:1; mass flow 4-81b/sec; length 31in; height
25-9in; width 16in.
PLT-27 Free-turbine three-shaft turboshaft. First run in
1969, the PLT-27 is a three-shaft engine originally designed
as Lycoming's entry in t h e US Army's Uttas helicopter
turboshaft competition (won by the General Electric T700).
With many design features in common with Lycoming's
1,500 s.h.p. AGT-1500 tank engine for the Armv, the PLT-27
has continued in development at ratings of 1,950 s.h.p: and
over 2,000 s.h.p., and was proposed by Lockheed last year to
power its (losing) entry in the US Army's AAH (Advanced
Attack Helicopter) programme. At 1,950 s.h.p., the engine
weighs only 3201b.
Small turboprop/turboshaft project. Avco Lycoming's piston
engine Williamsport Division is exploring the development
of a small turbine engine suitable for general aviation use,
presumably of around 350 to 450 s.h.p., below the LTP101/
LTS101 m a r k e t sector.
Stagg Lycoming is one of four US engine manufacturers
participating in the US Army-financed programme for
development of a Small Turbine Advanced Gas Generator
(Stagg). Air mass flow is around lOlb/sec.
T53 (LTC1) Free-turbine two-shaft turboshaft and turbo-
prop. As Avco's main production engine over many years,
well over 17.000 units have been built, and have flown more
than 20 million hours. The T53 is the US Army's main
helicopter engine, in particular powering numerous versions
of t h e Bell Model 204. In turboprop form it powers the
Grumman OV-1 Mohawk, and has recently been chosen for
the Dornier Do 24/72 and Casa-401 transports, and the Bell
Model 301 XV-15 tilt-rotor test-bed aircraft, the winning
design in the Nasa/US Army V/Stol competition early last
year; The latter two aircraft will make their first flights
around mid-1975. The T53 is licensed to Kawasaki Heavy
Industries, Klockner-Humboldt-Deutz, and Piaggio.
Applications and projects. Agusta Model 204B (1X1.100 s.h.p.
T53-L-11A); Agusta Model 205 (1X1,400 s.h.p. T53-L-13A &
-13B); Agusta Model 205A-1 (1X1,400 s.h.p. T53-L-13A); Air-
Metal AM-C111 Stol-Lifter (stretched version) 2X1,451 e.h.p.
T53-L-701); Bell UH-1D (1X1,100 s.h.p. T53-L-I1); Bell UH-1H
& -1L, CUH-1H, TH-1L & HH-1K (1X1,400 s.h.p. T53-L-13B);
Bell Model 205A-1 (1X1,400 s.h.p. T5313A); Bell Model 209
AH-1G (1X1,400 s.h.p. T53-L-13); Bell Model 214 (1X1,900
s.h.p. T53-L-702); Bell Model 301 XV-15 (2X1,550 s.h.p. LTC1K-
4K); Boeing Vertol Model 222 (2X1,550 s.h.p. LTC1K-4K);
Canadair CL-84-1 (2X1,500 s.h.p. LTC1K-4C); Casa-401 (4X
1,868 e.h.p. T5321A); Dornier Do 24/72 (3X1,868 e.h.p.
T5321A); Fabrique Federal d'Avions C-3605 (1X1,100 s.h.p.
T53-L-7); Fuji Model 204B (1X1,100 s.h.p. T53-9 or -11);
Grumman OV-1D (2X1,203 e.h.p. T53-L-15); Kaman HH-
43B (1X860 s.h.p. T53-L-1B); Kaman HH-43F (1X1,100 s.h.p.
T53-L-11A).
T53 L-701 Five-stage axial plus single-stage centrifugal com-
pressor, annular reverse-flow combustor, two-stage com-
pressor & power turbines. Integral forward-located gear-box.
FLIGHT International, 10 January 1974
Take-off 1,451 e.h.p.; pressure ratio 7-4:1; mass flow
10-71b/sec; length 58-4in; diameter 23-0in; weight 6881b.
T55 (LTC4) Free-turbine two-shaft and turboprop. As with
the smaller T53 turboshaft the T55 has the US Army as its
major operator, with the engine powering the Boeing Vertol
CH-47 family of helicopters. The turboshaft has received an
additional impetus through having been chosen to power
the Bell Model 214A and 214B, 287 of which were ordered by
Iran in May last year. Well over 2,000 T55s have been
delivered, and total flying time is in excess of three million
hours. Engine ratings have been increased from an original
design figure of 1,500 s.h.p. to 4,600 s.h.p. for the company-
designated LTC4B-12:
Applications and projects. Bell Models 214A & B (1X2,930
s.h.p. LTC4B-8D); Bell Model 309 (1X2,950 s.h.p. T55-L-7C);
Boeing-Vertol CH-47C Chinook (2X3,750 s.h.p. T55-L-11A);
Fairey Britten-Norman Mainlander (3XT55).
LTC4B-I2 Seven-stage axial plus single-stage centrifugal
compressor, annular reverse-flow combustor, two-stage com-
pressor and power turbines. Integral forward-located gear-
box. Take-off 4,600 s.h.p.; pressure ratio 8-5-1; mass flow
271b/sec; length 44-0in; diameter 24-25in; weight 6801b.
BET-SHEMESH (Israel)
Bet-Shemesh Engines Ltd. Headquarters: Bet-Shemesh
Subsidiary of Turbomeca SA with 51 per cent holding, and
49 per cent holding by Israeli government. Engages in licensed
aero-engine and p a r t s manufacture.
The Bet-Shemesh engine plant was commissioned early in
1969 with the initial task of manufacturing turboprop parts
for Turbomeca. During 1972 and '73 it was planned that
Marbore 6 turbojets would be manufactured for Aerospatiale
Super Magister trainers.
BUDWORTH (United Kingdom)
David Budworth Ltd. Headquarters: Harwich, Essex. Tel:
Harwich 3116.
Private company engaging in a variety of small aero, in-
dustrial and instructional turbine developments.
Basic engine in the Budworth series is the 3 31b/sec Puffin
unit which has been developed in a number of aero and non-
aero configurations. These include a 5001b turbofan, 2501b
turbojet, 1,0001b lift-fan, a turboprop and turboshaft of 200
h.p., and a turbo-compressor of 300 air h.p. Other versions of
the Puffin are a coupled turbo-generator of 400kVA, and a
test-rig unit.
COMMONWEALTH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
(Australia)
Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Pty Ltd. Headquarters:
304 Lorimer Street, Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207. Tel: 64 0771.
Private company, in which Rolls-Royce (1971) is one of
seven shareholders, engaged mainly in licensed aircraft pro-
duction and aero-engine overhaul.
CAC's engine activity is currently limited to the manufac-
ture of parts, and overhaul and modification work for military
powerplants, mainly those of the RAAF. Licensed production
of the Rolls-Royce (1971) Viper II and Snecma Atar 9C turbo-
jets for RAAF Aermacchi MB.326H and Dassault-Breguet