Summer/Fall 2009

A company rich in
tradition and promise
MTU Aero Engines Holding AG Technology + Science MTU Global Report
Dachauer Straße 665
80995 Munich • Germany
Tel. +49 89 1489-0
Fax +49 89 1489-5500
A stake in a record- Demanding terrain Suspended between
www.mtu.de
www.75-years-mtu.de breaking engine risk and routine
Contents
MTU Aero Engines
A company rich in tradition and
promise
Of paramount importance to MTU:
the RB199
Flying high in the commercial market
Successful subsidiary
Exterior view
Technology + Science
A stake in a record-breaking engine
Three in one go
MTU Global
Demanding terrain
Customers + Partners
Working hand in hand
When the Tiger learned to fly
Products + Services
Engine testing at its best
Power packs on the high seas
Report
Suspended between risk and routine
In Brief
Masthead
2 3
Editorial
Dear Readers:
4-5 2009 is a very special year for MTU Aero We achieved the best results in the compa-
Engines, as the company is celebrating its ny’s history and took on more stakes in new
75th anniversary this year. The origins of programs than in any single year before. In
A company rich in tradition and promise
6-7 MTU date back to 1934, when its predeces- total, taken over the full terms of these con-
MTU Aero Engines, a global player in the aviation industry, has been providing sor company BMW Flugmotorenbau GmbH tracts, we have secured revenues amounting
propulsion systems to power aircraft for 75 year now, keeping military and com- was founded and set up business in Allach to to around 30 billion euros. We have acquired
8-9 mercial fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft in the air with its innovative technolo- the north of Munich. This traditional site is workshares in Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbo-
gies, products and services. Page 4 home to MTU’s corporate headquarters to fan engines for the CSeries and the MRJ
10 - 13 this day, and will remain so in the future. regional jet, in the PW810, and in two
General Electric engine programs, the GEnx
13 Much has happened in the 75 years since the commercial engine and GE38 military heli-
official launch of the company, whose roots copter engine. Through these programs, we
actually go back even further, to the early are investing today in the bestselling propul-
days of powered flight. Over the years, MTU sion systems of tomorrow, and in the future
has seen times good and bad, successes and of the company.
14 - 17 setbacks alike. It has lived through several
changes of name and ownership. As the MTU has a long and distinguished tradition.
18 - 19 commercial aviation business began to gain In this anniversary year, we want to take a
more and more momentum, the main focus in look back on its fascinating history, also in
the company’s product and service portfolio this edition of MTU Report. We intend to
A stake in a record-breaking engine gradually shifted from the military to the uphold this long-established tradition and
MTU has taken a stake in another GE engine: The GEnx for the Boeing 787 and commercial sector. Through it all, however, make every effort to ensure MTU remains a
20 - 23 747-8 promises to become a bestseller. Boeing estimates a demand for almost one thing has remained the same: The engine success in the future.
8,000 new aircraft over the next 20 years, for the two models combined. manufacturer has always succeeded in stay-
Page 14 ing at the forefront of technological progress. Sincerely yours,
The past 75 years go to show that nothing
Demanding terrain has ever proved capable of truly shaking
24 - 25 MTU’s foundations, let alone of jeopardizing
To be able to operate more effectively its continued existence.
26 - 27 and efficiently in the future, the U.S.
Marine Corps is now procuring the new Considering MTU’s impressive track record, I
CH-53K heavy-lift transport helicopter look ahead into the future with great opti-
manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft Cor- mism, and I’m convinced that we will continue Egon Behle
poration. MTU is supplying the power to hold our own, even in the current difficult Chief Executive Officer
28 - 31 turbine for the General Electric engine market environment. The successes and re-
powering the CH-53K. sults achieved by the company in the past
32 - 35 Page 20 financial year make me feel even more confi-
dent: 2008 marked a record year for MTU.
Suspended between risk
and routine
Without the courage and expert knowl-
36 - 39
edge demonstrated by test pilots, avia-
tion would never have come as far as it
has. Dieter Thomas, a pioneer in his
40 - 43
profession since the mid-1960s, and
Eckhard Hausser, chief test pilot for
43
Airbus in Hamburg, exemplify two gen-
erations of test pilots.
Page 36
 A company rich in
tradition and promise
By Martina Vollmuth

In the aviation industry, three simple letters stand for top-notch

engine technology: MTU. The company has been providing propulsion
The BMW 132 was the first engine produced by BMW
Flugmotorenbau GmbH.
During World War II, assembly of the BMW 801 was
in full swing.
MTU’s company headquarters in the late 1950s.

systems to power aircraft for decades now, keeping military and com-
mercial fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft in the air with its innovative
technologies, products and services.
MTU has a long tradition of success, the
company’s roots reaching back to the dawn
of aviation. In 1934, BMW Flugmotorenbau
GmbH, MTU Aero Engines’ legal predeces-
sor, was founded and set up business in
Allach on the northern outskirts of Munich.
This is where the company’s headquarters
are located to this day. 2009 marks the 75th
anniversary of the company’s founding.
In the course of its eventful history, MTU
Aero Engines has been through a string of
takeovers and changes in corporate identity
and ownership. The company’s owners
included BMW, M.A.N., Daimler-Benz and
DaimlerChrysler. Since 2005, Germany’s
leading engine manufacturer has been a
publicly listed, independent company.
The company’s innovative power has been
its hallmark throughout its long history:
Over the decades, MTU and its predecessor
companies have taken major roles in the
progress of aircraft engines. And this holds
true to this day. In cooperation with the
major players in the industry—General
Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce—
the company develops engines to power
future aircraft. Its expertise in vital areas of
engine technology make MTU an indispen-
sable partner. Its low-pressure turbines and
high-pressure compressors are the finest to
be found in the marketplace.
In the field of manufacturing and repair, the
company time and again set new standards
by introducing novel processes. Having built
a reputation as an expert in military tech-
nology, MTU decided to expand into the
commercial sector in the 1970s, launching
into full-scale commercial maintenance—and
successfully so. The MTU Maintenance
group has since become the world’s leading
independent provider of commercial engine
maintenance services. In the military arena,
MTU Aero Engines continues to be the
Bundeswehr’s No. 1 partner. As the industrial
lead company, it provides the country’s fly-
ing units with advanced technologies and
top-notch service.
For interesting multimedia services
associated with MTU’s anniversary, go to:
www.75-years-mtu.de

4 MTU Aero Engines 5

 Of paramount importance to But that’s not the whole story. The RB199 all
at once gave the Europeans a technological
lead of four or five years over the Americans.
From the RB199 to the EJ200
MTU, Rolls-Royce and Avio went on to build
on the success of the RB199, founding the
MTU: the RB199 Thanks to its active collaboration on this pro-
ject, MTU emerged as a world leader in terms
Eurojet Turbo GmbH consortium along with
Spanish engine manufacturer ITP in 1986 and
By Dr. Dominik Faust of development, manufacturing and mainte- developing a novel twin-shaft reheated turbo-
nance expertise—and in the process made fan engine in the 90-kilonewton thrust cate-
75 years of MTU, 40 years of the RB199: The history of Germany’s
leading engine manufacturer is inextricably linked to that of this aero
the necessary technological leap from the
1940s to the 1970s. “Without this highly
gory, the EJ200. This engine now powers
both the Eurofighter and its export version,
engine powering the Tornado, the first fighter jet to be jointly devel- advanced product, MTU wouldn’t exist today,” the Typhoon. MTU’s production workshare in
oped and built by a European consortium. The venture, launched in maintains Martin Steinberger, a former Mem- this program is 30 percent and includes the
1969, ultimately became a roaring success for everyone involved. ber of MTU’s Board of Management. Having manufacture of the low-pressure and high-
Today, the RB199 is Europe’s most successful military engine and is previously elected to concentrate most of its pressure compressors, the electronic control
set to remain in operation on the Tornado until long after 2025. efforts on military engines, the company sub- unit, parts of the high-pressure turbine, and
sequently decided to invest the experience it assembly and testing of the engines destined
had gained in the expansion of its commer- for service in Germany.
“A total of 2,500 engines were delivered to European cooperation on the project paid cial business.
Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and the dividends. As Michael Schreyögg, MTU Aero As Schreyögg points out: “The seamless
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” says Karlheinz Engines Senior Vice President, Defense Pro- Let’s just recap a little. Back in the mid- transition from the RB199 to the EJ200 has
Koch, who until the end of 2008 was Manag- grams, puts it: “The RB199 was the break- 1960s, the German air force expressed a de- ensured a steady flow of work for MTU and
ing Director of Turbo-Union, the joint venture through MTU needed to prove itself an equal sire to procure a successor to the Lockheed secured several hundred jobs.” And he is
formed to develop, build and market the partner among the European manufacturers. F-104 Starfighter. The intention was to equally convinced that the company’s cus-
RB199. MTU was responsible for a significant With around six million flying hours under its replace it with a modern multi-role combat tomers are well aware of the technological
share of the development work, including belt now, this engine represents a highly sig- aircraft, while at the same time bolstering advances that have been made. “The thrust-
design work and testing, plus an approximate- nificant milestone for the European engine the domestic aviation industry. “Until then,” to-weight ratio has been increased from
ly 40-percent production workshare; more- industry. At the same time, it was of para- says Steinberger in retrospect, “the industry To obtain a stake in the Tornado’s RB199 engine, MTU München is established. eight to ten, and the integrated maintenance
over, it was to provide support during both mount importance for the development of had relied mainly on licensed production, panel represents a further improvement over
flight testing and volume production. our company and our cooperation with the rather than developing technology on its nations, too. As a result, in 1967, Germany, activities,” recalls Steinberger. On July 11, the innovations already implemented in the
German air force.” own.” Similar motives were driving other Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Canada 1969, these companies finally founded MTU RB199’s on-board monitoring system with
all joined forces to form the F-104 Replace- Motoren- und Turbinen-Union München respect to diagnostic capabilities and recom-
ment Group. The United Kingdom joined the GmbH M.A.N. Maybach Mercedes-Benz, or mended maintenance work. The EJ200 re-
group a year later, and the MRCA (Multi-Role MTU München for short. This was the first quires no scheduled maintenance prior to
Combat Aircraft) project was born. Shortly occasion in MTU’s 75-year history on which reaching 400 flight hours. And we have even
afterwards, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the three initials, which to this day still fea- been able to reduce the length of time it
Canada all withdrew. On May 1, 1969, the ture prominently in its name, made their takes to replace an engine by a factor of
Munich-based Panavia Aircraft GmbH was appearance. A few short weeks later, on four,” enthuses the MTU manager.
founded by British Aircraft Corporation September 30, 1969, MTU München, Rolls-
For additional information, contact
(BAC), Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB), Royce and Fiat Aviazione set up the consor- Michael Schreyögg
and Aeritalia. In 1976, its two-seat, twin-en- tium Turbo-Union Ltd. to develop and manu- +49 89 1489-4766
gined aircraft was given the name “Tornado”. facture the RB199 Tornado engine, following
For interesting multimedia services
Panavia’s decision to adopt the concept put associated with this article, go to:
The official request for proposals for the forward by Rolls-Royce. www.mtu.de/109MTU75M_E
development of the Tornado’s propulsion
system was issued in 1969. Here, too, the
various nations worked to set up a European
consortium. The United Kingdom sent Rolls-
Royce into the fray. The German ministry of
defense had a choice between M.A.N. Turbo
GmbH (which evolved from the merger of
M.A.N. Turbomotoren GmbH and BMW
Triebwerkbau GmbH in 1965), and Daimler-
Benz, with its gas turbine plant in Stuttgart.

M.A.N. Turbo GmbH was in the stronger posi-

tion, having the technical know-how as well as
experience in cooperating with Rolls-Royce
during the era of vertical take-off aircraft.
“However, the defense ministry insisted on
The first Tornado prototype with RB199 engines. combining the two companies’ engine-related Assembly of an RB199 engine.

6 MTU Aero Engines 7

 Flying high in the Lichtfuß. The agreement, which was inked in
1971, gave MTU a roughly eight-percent pro-
duction share in the CF6-50.
commercial market It was also in the 1970s that MTU became a
Dr. Dominik Faust partner in Pratt & Whitney’s JT10D program,
which later evolved into the PW2000. “That
I n the 1970s air travel became affordable for everybody. That was when the
Boeing 747, the first jumbo jet ever built, took to the skies and revolutionized
engine was designed for the Boeing 757 and
was in direct competition with Rolls-Royce’s
mass air transport. Dr. Ernst Zimmermann, MTU’s chief executive at the time, RB211,” says Robert Riechel, who headed up
was quick to recognize the trend and opened up the company to the com- commercial programs at MTU at the time.
mercial market. It was under his leadership that MTU developed and manu- The German engine specialist developed the
factured its first commercial engine components and modules. The company low-pressure turbine and the turbine exit
has since established itself as a key player and must-have partner in the casing and manufactured the most impor-
engine community. tant parts of the low-pressure turbine, in-
cluding the highly-engineered turbine disks.
In contrast to the CF6-50 program, where
Favorable circumstances helped Zimmer- ing an agreement with MTU for the produc- MTU’s role was confined to manufacturing,
mann, who was later murdered by Red Army tion of CF6-50 components. This engine pow- the Pratt & Whitney project also involved
Faction (RAF) terrorists, to go ahead with his ered the first aircraft produced by the then engineering work.
expansion plans. At that time, profits were newly founded Airbus consortium because the Assembly of V2500 fan vanes.
rolling in from the J79 engine that MTU built A300 launch customer, Air France, had opted With its newly acquired experience, the com-
for the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and other for that powerplant. “That was MTU’s first pany ventured further into the commercial Engines Corporation, and MTU joined forces cial business, their partners often became programs will generate revenues amounting
aircraft in the 1960s. And Zimmermann man- real commercial project,” recalls the former market in the 1980s, when Pratt & Whitney, and set up the Zurich-based IAE (Interna- competitors: “Suddenly, they had to be care- to an estimated 30 billion euros. In just one
aged to win General Electric over to conclud- Director of Development, Prof. Hanns-Jürgen Rolls-Royce, Fiat Aviazione, Japanese Aero tional Aero Engines) consortium on Decem- ful about what they disclosed to the others.” year, MTU has signed more new program
ber 14, 1983. IAE’s business objective was agreements than ever before in its history.”
to develop the V2500, a fuel-thrifty engine Since then, MTU has acquired a wealth of The programs in which MTU has taken stakes
for short- and medium-range aircraft. MTU experience from further cooperative ven- include Pratt & Whitney’s innovative geared
has an 11-percent share in this program. tures. “MTU continues to be very successful turbofan engines, the PW810, and the GEnx
Says Riechel: “We developed the complete as a risk- and revenue-sharing partner,” says to power the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, to
low-pressure turbine and, for the first time, Lichtfuß. And the results are impressive. “In name but a few. Binder again: “With these
also carried out test runs.” Since then, five the commercial engine market, MTU has projects we have set the course for MTU’s
different variants of the V2500 have entered content in all thrust and power categories, as future viability.”
service, including the upgraded SelectOne well as in significant components and sub-
version. systems,” explains Dr. Anton Binder, Senior
For additional information, contact
Vice President, Commercial Programs. Over Dr. Anton Binder
Breaking into the commercial market brought the past year, the company succeeded in +49 89 1489-2884
about some changes for MTU. At the time, acquiring more stakes in new engine pro-
For interesting multimedia services
the contracting government agencies played grams than in any single year before. Says associated with this article, go to:
an active role in military programs: numerous Binder: “Taken over their entire terms, these www.mtu.de/109MTU75C_E
specifications and regulations had to be
taken into account, meetings tended to be
the order of the day, and the result was
lengthy development periods. Nowadays, the
military procurement process has been
streamlined and is indeed more like the com-
mercial approach, in which the airlines sim-
ply issue their requirements specifications
and the engine manufacturers set to work. It
may take many years before a commercial
project turns a profit—not least because of
the high discounts granted to airlines.

There were other aspects to consider, too.

For example, most of MTU’s engineers had
worked closely together with Rolls-Royce on
the development of the RB199 in the 1960s.
“They were used to sharing technical infor-
An A300 of launch customer Air France powered by CF6-50 engines. mation,” says Lichtfuß. But in the commer- Developing engines for the future: assembly work on rig 455.

8 MTU Aero Engines 9

 Successful subsidiary
By Nicole Geffert

30 years ago, when commercial aviation was about to gain momentum,

MTU Aero Engines launched its first subsidiary, MTU Maintenance Hannover,
thus creating a separate business segment alongside design, development,
production and military maintenance. The subsidiary soon began to grow and
prosper. Together with the locations in Berlin-Brandenburg, Canada and
Zhuhai, it forms part of today’s MTU Maintenance group, the world’s largest
independent provider of commercial engine maintenance services.

“In 1976 we conducted initial studies into

the feasibility of commercial maintenance at
MTU and visited companies in the U.S.,”
recounts Franz Weinzierl, who headed up
sales and marketing at MTU Maintenance
Hannover until 2002 and has since retired. In
his function as project manager the “man of
the first hour” was responsible for setting up
commercial maintenance activities. The deci-
sion to venture into the commercial mainte-
nance business was finally taken in 1979:
MTU Maintenance was set up in Hannover-
Langenhagen on November 14, 1979 as a
wholly owned subsidiary of Germany’s lead-
ing engine manufacturer. The very beginnings of MTU Maintenance Hannover.

Says Weinzierl: “The government of Lower
Saxony was strongly interested in creating
high-quality jobs in the northern part of
Germany, where the technology sector was
less developed at the time.” The company was
literally set up on a greenfield site, right next
to Hannover’s Langenhagen airport. “I stood
in the field—set to become our company
premises—before any of the work had begun,
while a farmer went up and down with his
plough,” recalls Weinzierl. In November 1981,
the field had gone: the new location was offi-
cially inaugurated and the company pushed
ahead with hiring new staff. “Before the
workers got down to work, many of them
were trained at MTU in Munich for their jobs,”
according to Weinzierl.
MTU Maintenance Hannover also received its
first orders from its Munich parent, where
engine blades and vanes for General Electric
(GE) were repaired. Its first maintenance
customer, however, came from the local
area: Langenhagen-based airline Hapag-
Lloyd entrusted the startup with the mainte-
nance of its CF6-50 engines. Also, CF6-80A

An MTU Maintenance customer from the outset: Hapag-Lloyd.

10 MTU Aero Engines 11


MTU Maintenance Hannover today: a highly advanced repair shop.
engines completed test runs on the compa-
ny’s new test facility. Maintenance of the
RB211-22B/524 engine and the LM2500
gas turbine rounded off MTU Maintenance
Hannover’s product portfolio as it started
operations at the end of 1981.
Four years after its establishment, the com-
pany boasted a workforce of some 500 em-
ployees and maintained 100 engines a year—
and the workload kept increasing. In 1989,
expansion was unavoidable. The company’s
portfolio was expanded to also include the
CF6-80C and the PW2000. In 1991, MTU re-
located the V2500 project activities, includ-
ing assembly of the low-pressure turbine, to
Hannover. At that time, around 1,000 people
worked at the Langenhagen location.
And MTU’s maintenance segment continued
to grow: after the German reunification, MTU
Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg was estab-
lished. International locations followed soon
when MTU Maintenance Canada was launched
in 1998 and MTU Maintenance Zhuhai set up
in 2000.
V2500 engines are also maintained by MTU Mainte-
nance Zhuhai.
12 MTU Aero Engines
Customer proximity, quality and reliability
have long been the hallmarks of the success-
ful subsidiary. In addition to maintaining medi-
um- to large-sized commercial engines, MTU
Maintenance offers a wide range of top-notch
services: engine leasing, 24-hour AOG serv-
ice, training and Total Engine Care packages.
Hannover is also MTU’s center of excellence
for high-tech repairs, which are continuously
being further improved.
“MTU Maintenance is renowned for its out-
standing repair techniques that help cus-
tomers save money and ensure cost-effective
flight operations,” says Dr. Uwe Blöcker, MTU
Maintenance Hannover President and Chief
Executive Officer. That is why the company
puts special focus on the development of
new repair techniques for CFM56-7, V2500,
CF6-80C2 and other engines. Says Blöcker:
“We’re keeping a close watch on the flight
behavior of the GE90 and GP7000 engines
so that we can optimally prepare for their
maintenance.”
The company’s sales and marketing activities
span the global market to ensure capacity
utilization long-term. “International competi-
tion is driving us to constantly hone and opti-
mize our processes,” says Blöcker. “The
measures we’ve taken to streamline our in-
house processes and adapt them to be able
to meet more demanding market require-
ments allowed us to increase the throughput
of engine overhauls and reduce our turn-
around times.”
For additional information, contact
Dr. Uwe Blöcker
+49 511 7806-4253
For further information on
this article, go to:
www.mtu.de/109Maintenance_E
Exterior view
My career in aviation journalism started
in 1994, when MTU was a mere 60 years
old!
Having completed my aerospace engi-
neering degree, I joined Flight Inter-
national magazine as Technical Reporter.
One of the core elements of my “beat”
was to cover technological developments
in the world of aerospace propulsion, in-
cluding the design and production of en-
gines and new approaches to mainte-
nance and overhaul. All this I encoun-
tered at MTU—and I began writing about
the company.
I got to know MTU even better when in
1998 I was posted to Germany to become
the Flight International Munich Corres-
pondent. My move coincided with MTU’s
major expansion in the international MRO
market, which saw the launch of new ven-
tures in Canada, Brazil (which was later
sold) and the U.S.A.
I was a frequent visitor to MTU’s head-
quarters on Dachauer Strasse, where I
conducted many interviews with MTU
executives, including at the CEO level.
During these discussions I was fortunate
enough to gain a deep insight into the
company’s research programmes and
“green” technologies.
Inspection of an LM6000 industrial gas turbine at
MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg.
One of my favourite “scoops” of the time
was the news that MTU had been select-
ed to design and produce the high-pres-
sure compressor for the Pratt & Whitney
PW6000 turbofan—a historical break-
through for the Munich company: for the
first time ever MTU was responsible for
such a civil compressor. The story that
several of Europe’s engine manufacturers
were to work together to produce the
Europrop International TP400-D6 (now
being assembled by MTU at Ludwigs-
felde) as well was part of my German
stay.
I remained in Munich long enough to
report on the creation of EADS, which
resulted in MTU Aero Engines temporarily
becoming a wholly-owned DaimlerChrys-
ler subsidiary in 2000.
Although I moved to Singapore and then
returned to head office in London, I have
maintained my close ties with MTU and
still look after the new developments—
specially all the geared turbofan items. I
wish everybody at the company a happy
75th anniversary!
Andrew Doyle,
Head of Content
Flight (publisher of Flight International,
Flightgobal.com, Air Transport Intelligence and
Airline Business)
13
 A stake in a record-
So all good things do come in threes: after
its involvement in the CF6 and the GP7000
programs, MTU is now a partner in yet
another GE engine program. The GEnx for
the 787 and 747-8 promises to become a
breaking engine bestseller, with extremely good market
prospects: Boeing estimates a demand for
almost 8,000 new aircraft over the next 20
years, for the two models combined. From a
technical perspective, the new GE engine
By Patrick Hoeveler has a great deal to offer. Fuel consumption
is around 15 percent lower than with its pre-
E ven for an industry giant like GE Aviation, this kind of success does not arrive every day. Never before
in the company’s history has an engine sold as fast as the GEnx for the Boeing 787 and 747-8. GE has
decessor, the tried-and-trusted CF6; noise
and pollutant emissions as well as mainte-
already secured orders for more than 1,100 powerplants although the new engine has not yet even nance costs are also substantially lower.
entered service. MTU Aero Engines also has a stake in this success: the German engine manufacturer is
supplying the highly-engineered turbine center frame for the bestseller. MTU has secured a program share of some
6.6 percent in the GEnx. This seemingly
14 Technology + Science
insignificant figure will, however, enable the
Munich-based company to generate rev-
enues in excess of eleven billion euros over
the program’s entire life. MTU has also
assumed development responsibility for the
turbine center frame. “It was crucial for us
to participate in this program. The engine is
likely to be used for other applications, too,”
says Dr. Anton Binder, Senior Vice President,
Commercial Programs at MTU.
The company is not entering uncharted
technical territory with the turbine center
frame (TCF). After all, MTU already supplies
this module to GE for the GP7000, the
Engine Alliance engine for the Airbus A380.
“For this first project we had to build up our
own knowledge base,” recalls Wolfgang
Hiereth, Director, GE Programs at MTU.
“Thanks to the high quality of our engineers,
our analytical know-how and wide-ranging
experience, we were able to come up with
the optimum solution,” he says.
“The TCF for the GEnx is a relatively sophis-
ticated component which is important to the
structure of the entire engine while also
being in the hot section of the engine,”
explains Binder. To withstand the tempera-
tures in excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius
encountered where the TCF is fitted behind
the high-pressure turbine, nickel-based
materials are used. The frame consists of
some 250 parts. The casing is fitted to the
hub with struts and fairing components to
shield the flow duct.
15
The first prototype should be ready by the
end of this year. The production components
manufactured in Munich are slated for deliv-
ery starting in mid-2011. The component dif-
fers from the earlier GE design, as Binder
explains: “Certain modifications have been
made as a result of experience gained during
the tests carried out on the GEnx so far. We
have also geared the TCF to our own manu-
facturing processes.”
The enhanced durability is one important
aspect since the engine ultimately has to
stay on the wing for up to 25,000 hours. The
use of a new material is another important
factor. Hiereth: “The analyses have shown
that it can withstand temperatures more
effectively and is easier to machine. It is also
compatible with future requirements since
we do not want to make design changes to
the TCF for new versions of the GEnx.”
16 Technology + Science
Thanks to the TCF, the German engine manu-
facturer has at last been given the opportu-
nity to take part in one of the most important
engine programs currently underway, after
missing out on the selection when the initial
decision was taken in spring 2004. In early
2008, GE then asked whether MTU would be
interested in supplying the TCF, thus paving
the way for the full risk-and-revenue partner-
ship that also offers benefits for GE. “GE and
GE and MTU cooperation launched 50 years ago
Cooperation between the two companies
MTU and General Electric started half a
century ago in the military domain. After
World War II, MTU’s predecessor, BMW
Triebwerkbau GmbH, was keen to bring its
technical skills up to date with the latest
The advanced GEnx engine stands out for its low specific fuel consumption and other innovative developments by acquiring licenses. Its
technical features.
efforts were not in vain—in March 1959, the
German government signed a contract
with the U.S. company General Electric to
manufacture the J79-11A engine for the
German Lockheed F -104G Starfighter.
BMW would act as the prime contractor,
but could only meet the financial commit-
ments with backing from M.A.N. The
Munich-based companies supplied 632
engines in total. Engines for the McDonnell
Douglas RF-4E and the F-4F Phantom II fol-
lowed. MTU was created in 1969 through
the merger of M.A.N. Turbo (formerly
BMW) with the engine operations of
Daimler-Benz.
Turbine center frame
One of the first General Electric J79-11A engines built at BMW’s Allach factory.
MTU have a long-standing history of working
together on several engine programs, and we
are very excited that they have joined our
strong team of revenue-sharing participants
on the GEnx program,” said Tom Brisken,
General Manager of the GEnx program. “The
GEnx is the most technologically advanced
commercial engine that GE has ever pro-
duced and MTU’s expertise in design and
manufacturing of high-tech engine compo-
The breakthrough in the commercial sec-
tor came courtesy of a European coopera-
tion program—the Airbus A300. The French
and German governments were looking to
involve European engine manufacturers in
the production of the commercial aircraft,
which was powered by two General
Electric CF6-50 engines. After a first con-
tract had been awarded to Snecma in
France, MTU signed a similar contract on
March 17, 1971, allocating it a workshare
of around ten percent. In total, MTU sup-
plied 672 parts kits, including components
for the two-stage high-pressure turbine.
The development of enhanced versions of
the CF6-80 enabled the Munich-based
company to once again obtain a similar
stake in the new engine programs. How-
ever, this time, the contract was not limit-
ed to specific applications of the power-
plant. Given their wide-ranging applica-
tions, the CF6-80C and -80E versions are
nents will support our certification efforts on
the GEnx-2B as well as any future engine
growth opportunities that may arise.”
For additional information, contact
Wolfgang Hiereth
+49 89 1489-3501
For further information on
this article, go to:
www.mtu.de/109GEnx_E
now at the stage of “high-volume spare
parts manufacture”, as Wolfgang Hiereth,
Director, GE Programs at MTU, confirms.
“Meanwhile, we are still manufacturing
new engines,” he adds. MTU is also on-
board with the LM series industrial gas tur-
bines derived from that engine type.
Additional proof of the German company’s
capabilities is provided by its successful
participation in the Engine Alliance’s
GP7000 program, for which MTU supplied
GE with components including the turbine
center frame. Says Hiereth: “It’s a very
sound partnership.” So it was hardly sur-
prising that the two companies returned to
the original basis of their cooperation just
under three years ago, with an agreement
for the F404/F414, to which was added a
similar agreement for the GE38 in 2008.
As a result, MTU is once again firmly
established as a reliable partner in GE’s
military engine programs.
17
 Three in one go
“We are always on the lookout for new mate-
rials to use in engine construction,” remarks
Dr. Olaf Roder, a specialist in rotor and com-
pressor materials at MTU Aero Engines.
“There is a real art to identifying which mate-
By Denis Dilba rials are worth developing further,” he
explains. Launching into extensive testing is
H igh-performance materials are the key to producing more efficient engines. Qualifying suitable candi-
dates involves painstaking research. This year, the work put in by MTU’s material engineers has paid off:
simply not an option, since qualifying a mate-
rial for use in aviation in compliance with the
three new materials will be added to the portfolio. They will be used in Pratt & Whitney’s new geared tur- aviation authorities’ requirements can easily
bofan engines and other applications. Cooperation with the U.S. engine company saved MTU some 40 per- involve costs in the six-digit range. Hundreds
cent of the launch costs. of series of tests have to be performed, doc-
umented and evaluated.

As a general rule, Roder and his colleagues

look for materials that contribute towards the
engine achieving the best possible thrust-to-
weight ratio while being economical to manu-
facture. The materials that are best suited to
this task are those that feature particularly
high strength and a relatively low density.
“The material must also be capable of with-
standing high temperatures and should be
easy to process,” emphasizes the materials
engineer. There are only very few materials
that are able to endure elevated operating
temperatures over longer periods. But even if
a material meets the stringent strength
requirements in the specified operating tem-
perature range, its introduction may never-
theless be prevented by manufacturing prob-
lems, for example, if the material is difficult
to machine or unsuitable for welding. Thus,
maturing a material for use in production is a
multi-faceted task.
Demand for the MTU developments is partic-
ularly high for the new geared turbofan en-
gines. “Because of the high rotational speeds
in the low-pressure turbine the materials are
exposed to particularly high stresses result-
ing from centrifugal forces. All the same, the
manufacturing costs must be kept within
reasonable limits,” explains Dr. Jörg Eßlinger,
who heads up materials engineering at MTU.
Another aspect to consider is the material’s
weight, since lighter components help reduce
the fuel burn of the engine.
When the casing leaves the forging shop its temperature is still above 900 °C.
management expressly lauded the coopera-
tion with us as exemplary. The joint effort
has saved MTU nearly three million euros. In
the meantime, Pratt & Whitney has already
contacted MTU to discuss various other
material projects.”
Eßlinger and his team are proud to have been
able to add as many as three new materials
to MTU’s family of materials this year. The
rotor and compressor materials team carried
out meticulous and painstaking work to also
qualify the titanium material Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-
6Mo (or Ti 6246 for short) for use. The new
material exhibits a favorable strength-to-den-
sity ratio like most of the titanium alloys, and
its strength is roughly ten percent higher
than that of its predecessor Ti 6242. “The
strength benefits translate into a virtually
one-to-one reduction in component weight,”
states Roder. This makes Ti 6246 the most
eligible material for the high-pressure com-
pressor blisks of the PW810, PW1200G and
PW1500G engines.
Jörg Eßlinger is particularly pleased that
MTU—thanks to these new developments—
continues to be a major player in the field of
high-performance materials. “We will use the
new and improved materials to manufacture
all of the blisks and disks MTU contributes to
the geared turbofan engines.” Nevertheless
the company will have to keep pressing
ahead with work on future generations of
materials in order to defend its role as a
leader in materials technology. “A case in
point is the ultra-light titanium aluminide
(TiAl) blade material, another joint develop-
ment with Pratt & Whitney, which will soon
be validated for the geared turbofan engine
family,” comments Eßlinger.
For additional information, contact
Dr. Jörg Eßlinger
+49 89 1489-4691
For further information
on this article, go to:
www.mtu.de/109Material_E

MTU is fortunate to have a strong partner at

its side when it comes to launching new
materials: Under the Joint Technology
Cooperation Initiative (JTCI) the company has
joined forces with Pratt & Whitney to con-
duct technology projects. This saves both
companies development expenditure and
time. Says Eßlinger: “Qualification of the ma-
terials DA718 and 718Plus was successfully
Forging of a turbine casing in 718Plus, a new nickel-base alloy. completed in 2008 and Pratt & Whitney’s A finished turbine casing prototype.

18 Technology + Science 19
 Demanding terrain

By Christiane Rodenbücher U.S. Marine Corps operational scenarios are
always demanding. The rapid reaction force
I t’s on the scene quickly, whether on land, at sea, or in the air: the U.S. Marine Corps frequently deploys personnel
and equipment in the event of crises, major conflicts and national disasters—anytime and anywhere in the world. In
frequently carries out land operations, for ex-
ample, in which it often finds itself up against
order to ensure it is able to operate even more effectively and efficiently in future, this branch of the U.S. Armed Forces well-trained enemy forces. Because its oper-
is now procuring the new CH-53K heavy-lift transport helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation. And ations can vary widely, the Corps needs a
MTU Aero Engines is supplying the power turbine for the General Electric engine powering the CH-53K. reliable helicopter. The specialists are re-
quired to operate in all climatic zones, and
this puts a heavy demand on them and their
military equipment, which must meet the
most exacting of requirements.
The Pentagon has decided to replace the
CH-53E helicopter—which has proved its
worth with the U.S. Armed Forces since it
was introduced back in the 1980s—with the
CH-53K; 200 copies are to be procured.
Significant advantages include an unsur-
passed long-range transport capacity of
around 13 metric tons (double that of its
predecessor) and approximately 40 percent
lower maintenance costs.

20 MTU Global 21
But technologically speaking, the new heli-
copter has a great deal more to offer as well:
state-of-the-art avionics, fly-by-wire flight con-
trols, glass cockpit, three powerful engines
each producing 7,500 shaft horsepower
(shp), high-efficiency rotor blades, and a low-
maintenance rotor head. In addition, it burns
considerably less fuel than its predecessor
“Echo”—even in “hot and high” operating
conditions such as those encountered in
Afghanistan, where flights in mountainous
regions at altitudes of 5,000 meters or tem-
peratures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius
are a daily occurrence. Since the CH-53K
has more power, it can be deployed more
flexibly across a wide range of missions, its
design leveraging lessons learned over
almost half a century of manufacturing and
operational success of its CH-53A/D/E pred-
ecessors.
Developments in heavy-lift transport helicop-
ters in the U.S. are being watched with great
interest on the other side of the Atlantic,
because air transport capacities are scarce
in Europe. Difficulties in deploying transport
aircraft are a feature common to all NATO
missions, and as a result, a number of coun-
tries are currently on the lookout for suitable
successors to their CH-53 and CH-47 trans-
port helicopters. And it comes as no surprise
that they are looking across the Atlantic,
22 MTU Global
Sikorsky’s new heavy-lift helicopter CH-53K.
given that the major U.S. airframe builders
have plenty of operational experience in this
field, thanks to their contracts with the U.S.
services. They have been equipping heavy
transport helicopters for U.S. forces’ mis-
sions, including those of the U.S. Marine
Corps, for many years.
In Europe, the intention is to find a joint solu-
tion, and Germany and France are taking the
lead. The French forces don’t actually have a
large transport helicopter at the moment, but
have identified a need to supplement their
NH-90 with a helicopter that offers additional
air transport capability. It was back in 2000
A Boeing CH-47F operated by the U.S. Army.
that German and French military experts met
for the first time in Paris at the initiation of
the French DGA armament procurement
agency, and drew up a request for informa-
tion (RFI). One year later, the first visits were
made to manufacturers like Boeing and
Sikorsky.
A market study was conducted in 2006,
based on the bilateral capability require-
ments of the time. In 2007, France and
Germany signed a declaration of intent and
set out agreed capability requirements and
program framework conditions in an analysis
phase for a Future Transport Helicopter (FTH).
In order to win over other European partners,
the project is now to be placed under the
umbrella of the European Defence Agency.
The German armed forces have great hopes
of their new FTH, which they need to close
the present gap in operational and tactical
A potential optimized successor to the CH-47.
air transport capabilities. The operating
range, cargo capacity and payload afforded
by such a helicopter would augment the
army’s spectrum of operations, currently an
urgent requirement. Troops could be trans-
ported over greater distances than to date,
and airmobile combat units (for example,
light infantry regiments) could be deployed
in conjunction with combat and transport
helicopters (as, for instance, the NH-90). And
larger-scale evacuations would also be made
possible.
The CH-53K, which is favored by the U.S.,
would be a suitable choice. It can fly just as
far as the CH-53 currently in service with the
German forces carrying twice the payload
(more than 13 metric tons). With a payload of
eight metric tons, it can travel 1,000 kilome-
ters; by comparison, the CH-53 currently
manages up to 960 kilometers carrying 3.5
metric tons. Should Europe also decide to pro-
cure the CH-53K, MTU will share in the proj-
ect. That said, the GE38 engine could equally
well be installed in an optimized CH-47.
Michael Schreyögg, Senior Vice President,
Defense Programs, says: “By taking a stake
in the GE38 engine program, MTU has posi-
tioned itself well for all possible solutions.”
Germany’s leading engine manufacturer has
an 18-percent share in the GE engine pro-
gram and is providing the power turbine. This
is the first time that MTU has had a develop-
ment role in a U.S. military program.
Since various European armed forces require
a successor to their CH-53 and CH-47 heli-
copters by 2020 at the latest, France and
Germany believe it would be advantageous
for both European and non-European part-
ners to come in with them on this; after all,
the groundwork has already been laid.
The NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG),
which counts all the well-known helicopter
manufacturers as members, has also turned
its attention to the matter of “future tactical
heavy lift capability” in recent years. The
Group’s findings, which were published in
early 2008, broadly correspond to the con-
tent of the Franco-German RFI.
The FTH project would create a new dimen-
sion in a Europe that is gradually growing
closer when it comes to defense policy:
European partners could work closely to-
gether to procure a superior product that will
do justice to the demands and realities of
current and future operations.
For additional information, contact
Michael Schreyögg
+49 89 1489-4766
For further information on
this article, go to:
www.mtu.de/109GE38_E
23
 Working hand in hand Learjet 60
The Learjet 60 program was an-
nounced in October 1990, not long
after the Canadian Bombardier Group
By Achim Figgen had acquired aircraft manufacturer
Learjet. The new mid-size business jet
MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg has been looking after Pratt & Whitney Canada was designed as a larger version of
PW305 engines for around three years now. In October 2008, the Ludwigsfelde-based com- the Learjet 55 and powered by Pratt &
pany added a new service to its portfolio when it joined forces with Lufthansa Bombardier Whitney Canada PW305 engines,
Aviation Services (LBAS) to offer full nose-to-tail maintenance packages for Learjet 60 busi- rather than its predecessor’s TFE731s.
ness jets. The deal benefits its customers: they now have a single point of contact for their MTU Aero Engines has a 25-percent
airframe and engine maintenance needs and no longer need to conclude separate contracts. share in the PW305 engine program.
The aircraft’s first flight took place on
June 13, 1991; U.S. Federal Aviation
Andreas Kaden, Managing Director of Luft- cent), Bombardier (29 percent), and Africa—precisely the region primarily served Administration (FAA) approval was
hansa Bombardier Aviation Services GmbH ExecuJet and is based at Berlin-Schönefeld by LBAS. granted in January 1993. In November
(LBAS), describes the new association Airport. The company specializes in the 2005, Bombardier announced the
between his company and the MTU engine maintenance and overhaul of Bombardier Although LBAS prefers not to give precise development of the Learjet 60 XR, a
specialists in Ludwigsfelde near Berlin as business jets. Among the aircraft in its port- figures, it does confirm that a large number new variant featuring improved cock-
follows: “When work has to be done on air- folio is the mid-size Learjet 60, a bizjet pop- of these jets come to Schönefeld for over- pit and cabin technologies. That ver-
craft engines, we’d usually have it per- ular also among customers on this side of haul. However, the Lufthansa Technik sub- sion made its maiden flight on April 3,
formed at Lufthansa Technik’s engine shop the Atlantic, thanks to its spacious cabin sidiary is authorized only to carry out line 2006, and the first production aircraft
in Hamburg. If the engine involved is a and range in excess of 4,300 kilometers. maintenance on PW305 engines. As soon as was delivered in July the following year.
PW305, we send it to MTU Maintenance Around 100 copies of the Learjet 60 XR, as it becomes necessary to remove the fan or
Berlin-Brandenburg to have it maintained the latest upgrade of the Learjet 60 is even the entire engine from the aircraft in
there.” called, are in service with private owners order to perform work exceeding the scope A PW305 engine being maintained at MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg.
and business charter companies or operat- of pure line maintenance—for example, to
LBAS, which was established in 1997, is a ed as corporate jets and government air- inspect the compressor or the hot sections, pressure turbine—, the engine is handed over
joint venture of Lufthansa Technik (51 per- craft around Europe, the Middle East and such as the combustion chamber or high- to specialists. In the past, too, the engines
were often sent to the Pratt & Whitney
Canada Customer Service Centre Europe
(CSC) in Ludwigsfelde, which is jointly oper-
ated by MTU Maintenance Berlin-Branden-
burg and the Canadian engine manufacturer.

At the CSC, three employees have special-

ized in the PW305 engine. According to Dr.
Stefan Liebelt, P&WC Program Manager, the
tasks they perform run the full gamut from
eddy current inspection of the first compres-
sor stage, which takes only a few hours, to
hot section inspection, which usually re-
quires well over 100 man-hours. No matter
how large the workscope, the important thing
is that the work is completed within the time
allowed for overhaul of the aircraft—usually
no more than one or two weeks.

In an effort to expand their joint activities,

LBAS and CSC last October concluded a co-
operation agreement which allows the part-
ners to offer Learjet 60 operators a complete
nose-to-tail maintenance package. This ar-
rangement is a win-win proposition for all
involved, including the aircraft owners and
operators. LBAS and CSC having committed
to long-term, strategic cooperation, the two
companies can now better align and optimize
the workflows at their respective operations,
according to Peter Isendahl, Director Sales
and Marketing at Schönefeld-based LBAS.
This saves time and money, which ultimately
benefits the customer.
For additional information, contact
Dr. Stefan Liebelt
+49 3378 824-215
For interesting multimedia services
associated with this article, go to:
www.mtu.de/109PW305_E

24 Customers + Partners 25
When the Tiger learned to fly
T he challenge was a tough one: Towards the end of the Cold War, France’s Aérospatiale and
Germany’s Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH (MBB) set out to develop a successor to one of the
world’s most innovative and successful helicopters at the time—the PAH-1 anti-tank helicopter. The
project took shape in 1989, when a European consortium was formed to develop the Tiger and take
it to the air.
The bar had been set very high. Its prede-
cessor Bo 105, in the development of which
Ludwig Bölkow himself had played a leading
role, had been the first helicopter to incorpo-
rate rotor blades made of glass-fiber-rein-
forced plastic. This highly reliable rotary-wing
aircraft, which is powered by two engines, is
extremely agile. The military version addi-
tionally features a reinforced fuselage. The
horizontally mounted guided missile launch-
ers on both sides give the PAH-1 anti-tank
version its distinctive silhouette. Both, the
Franco-German consortium (today’s Euro-
copter, a subsidiary of EADS) entrusted with
the development of the new helicopter and
the engine builders, were facing no easy task.
Germany and France had drawn up an initial
performance specification for a successor to
the Bo105 in1984. “That same year, MTU and
France’s Turbomeca set up a joint venture to
develop a suitable propulsion system,”
recalls the company’s first Managing Direc-
tor, Martin Steinberger. MTU-Turbomeca
GmbH (MTM) was officially entered in the
26 Customers + Partners
By Dr. Dominik Faust
commercial register of the Munich District
Court on October 18, 1984.
When the development of the new engine
was given the official go-ahead in 1988, the
British manufacturer Rolls-Royce was invited
to join the team upon the initiative of
Turbomeca. The trio has been operating under
the name MTU Turbomeca Rolls-Royce GmbH
(MTR) since June 15, 1989. The initial Franco-
German MTM380 engine was superseded
first by the MTM385, and then by the more
powerful MTR390. The engine made its
maiden flight two years later, and delivery of
production engines began in early 2002.
For 20 years now, MTR—a contractual partner
of OCCAR, the European organization for
joint armament cooperation—has been re-
sponsible for designing, developing, manu-
facturing and maintaining these engines,
which power the Tiger in a twin-engine con-
figuration. So far, 269 standard MTR390-2C
engines have been delivered, of which 125 to
Germany, 79 to France, 51 to Australia, and
Assembly of an MTR390 helicopter engine.
14 to Spain. MTU’s workshare includes the
core engine, complete with combustion cham-
ber, intermediate turbine casing and gas gen-
erator turbine, and some of the engine’s
accessories.
The engines delivered to date have accumu-
lated a total of close to 30,000 flying hours.
“MTU Aero Engines plays a special role in their
maintenance,” says MTR’s Managing Director
Clemens Linden. As the official Revision Cen-
ter, the company is the first point of contact
in all matters relating to the maintenance of
the MTR390-2Cs in service in Germany. It
won this status after undergoing an exten-
sive qualification process. ations to be performed on an MTR390-2C changed. Therefore an uprated version of the ner who had first suggested to develop a
engine during maintenance and repair, in- engine, the MTR390 Enhanced, is being more powerful Tiger engine. But Germany and
Under the industry-military cooperative cluding the required final test run. Says developed that will be capable of meeting France have also expressed their interest in
model of engine maintenance set up by MTU Linden: “Alongside MTU, we are operating the stringent requirements of “hot and high” the MTR390-E and have up-dated part of their
and the German air force, military staff are another two maintenance facilities: Atelier missions. This modified MTR390-E version orders accordingly.
also involved in maintenance level 3 work Industriel Aéronautique (AIA) in Bordeaux, received prototype flight approval late in
(disassembly of engine modules into their France, and Turbomeca Australasia (TAA) in March 2009. For the development of the
For additional information, contact
component parts and replacement of parts). Bankstown, Australia, near Sydney.” uprated MTR390 another consortium was set Clemens Linden
Therefore, they, too, are trained on the up, which includes the Spanish engine manu- +49 811 60090-0
MTR390-2C. The process of qualification as Since the time the first specifications for the facturer ITP and operates under the name of
For further information on
Revision Center was completed in late 2008 Tiger weapon system were drawn up in the MTU Turbomeca Rolls-Royce ITP GmbH this article, go to:
with a successful demonstration of all oper- 1980s, the helicopter's mission profile has (MTRI). Incidentally, it was the Spanish part- www.mtu.de/109MTR_E
27
Engine testing
at its best
By Denis Dilba

MTU Aero Engines has already accrued more than three decades of
experience in testing engines in altitude test facilities. During this
time, the company has worked closely with the Institute of Aircraft
Propulsion Systems (ILA) at Stuttgart University to ensure engines
are safe to fly. The work that is undertaken at the ILA will continue to
be essential for future generations of engines, too (as, for example,
the geared turbofan), the institute being home to the only altitude test
facility in Germany, one which is equal to any in the world.

The colossal high-tech complex was built in
1964. Over the years, the facility’s operating
range has gradually been expanded in several
stages of development co-funded by MTU.
And nowadays, the Munich-based engine
manufacturer can rely on one of the world’s
most capable altitude test facilities. The only
other comparable test facility in Europe is
located in Saclay, a small town near Paris.
The U.S. has three similar high-tech facilities,
and at least one is reportedly operating in
Russia. The very first altitude test facility was
the “Herbitus” facility in BMW’s Munich-
Milbertshofen plant, which began operation
in 1943. After the war, the allies dismantled
the pioneering facility and shipped it to the
United States, where it would form the heart
of the altitude test facility at Arnold Air Force
Base in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
“The Stuttgart altitude test facility is abso-
lutely essential to our work,” confirms
Gerhard Heider, Senior Consultant, Technical
Reviews,who headed up technology programs
and core functions of MTU’s testing center
until February this year. Depending on the
set-up, the MTU engineers can use their
Munich test beds to carry out component
and rig testing, or even to test complete en-
gines. However, the results obtained during
the tests are valid only for the altitude at
which the test facility is actually situated.

Germany’s only altitude test facility is operated by Stuttgart University’s Institute of Aircraft Propulsion
Systems, a cooperation partner of MTU Aero Engines.

28 Products + Services 29
“But what we also need to know is how an
engine, compressor or part will function at
operating altitude,” says Heider, who goes on
to explain: “At around 10,000 meters, condi-
tions are completely different from those
prevailing at the Munich site’s comparatively
modest 500 meters above sea level.” It is the
air pressure that makes the greatest differ-
ence; it decreases greatly as altitude in-
creases, as can be calculated using the baro-
metric formula. And the temperature also
drops rapidly. Says Heider: “An engine’s
boundary layer behavior, efficiency, con-
sumption, and thrust all change dramatically
as altitude and Mach number increase.”

In the Stuttgart altitude test cell, the pres-

sure and temperature of the ingested air can
be accurately adjusted, enabling engines and
components to be tested under simulated
flight conditions. This way, flight situations
can be reproduced that would occur at an
altitude of 20,000 meters, for example, or—in
the case of high-performance military en-
gines—speeds in excess of Mach 2. In order
to replicate the various flight conditions, it
may be necessary to use a cooler at the
engine intake to bring the temperature down
to as low as minus 75 degrees Celsius, for
example for the simulation of flights at low
speeds and very high altitudes.
When simulating supersonic flight with mili-
tary engines, the intake air is heated to tem-
peratures of up to 160 degrees Celsius.
Operating at full capacity, the test cell
achieves an air flow rate of around 140 kilo-
grams per second—enough to fill a cube
almost 12 x 12 x 12 meters in size. The hot
gas cooler is located behind the engine being
tested, the air receiver and water brake behind
Control room with state-of-the-art test hardware.
The GP7000 low-pressure turbine rig on Stuttgart University’s altitude test facility.
the rig. When exhaust gas extraction is on,
the test bed must be able to withstand tem-
peratures of up to 1,700 degrees Celsius and
low pressures close to vacuum. Since the as-
sociated energy consumption can exceed 30
megawatts, testing is normally only carried
out in the evenings and at night.
This all requires a great deal of time, effort
and money, but there really is no other way.
Says Heider: “It is true that we can predict an
engine’s behavior within certain limits, and
we do, of course, make such computations.
But keep in mind that just in order to map
the boundary layer behavior of the 10 to 15
compressor stages in an engine, we’d need
more computing power than our computers
can provide. It’s like trying to forecast the
weather for a particular day sometime next
year.” As a result, an engine is not allowed to
take to the air until the test team has demon-
strated in the altitude test facility that it oper-
ates exactly as defined in the specifications.
For military engines, the altitude test facility
is even more important than for those used
in commercial flight. Wolfgang Duling, Head
of Military Engine Testing at MTU, explains:
“Fighters fly at significantly higher altitudes
than passenger aircraft do.” Add to this that
engines such as the RB199 for the Tornado
and EJ200 for the Eurofighter/Typhoon, un-
like commercial engines, have an afterburner
stage. “Air pressure has a huge impact on
the afterburner’s ignition characteristics,”
says the expert.
The future geared turbofan (GTF) engine her- in a test rig. “Sometimes we have to push For additional information, contact
alds a whole new era for MTU and the alti- hard to achieve efficiency improvements in Gerhard Heider
+49 89 1489-3663
tude test facility. Heider again: “We’re break- the order of a mere one tenth of a percent-
For interesting multimedia services
ing new ground here.” It is specifically the age point,” says Heider. “Without the altitude
associated with this article, go to:
altitude behavior of the new high-speed low- test facility in Stuttgart, we’d never be able www.mtu.de/109Testing_E
pressure turbine—a field in which MTU to come out with such an advanced engine.”
excels—that must first be tested thoroughly
Clean formerly headed up the Clean test program
at MTU, says the tests were a mammoth
as a powerful water brake to absorb the
turbine power from scratch. But thanks to
Widely considered the key to future envi- undertaking: “We had to design and produce the assistance provided by ILA Director
ronmentally friendly aircraft propulsion, all the engine supply systems, including Prof. Stephan Staudacher, our efforts
the Clean engine demonstrator was also those for secondary air, fuel and oil, as well proved successful in the end.”
put through its paces in the altitude test
facility in Stuttgart to prove its worth. The
engine, which was developed under the
EU’s Clean (component validator for envi-
ronmentally friendly aero engine) technol-
ogy program, promises a 20-percent fuel
saving and a significant reduction in
exhaust emissions.
Its revolutionary feature is that the resid-
ual heat from a geared turbofan’s exhaust
stream is extracted by a heat exchanger
and then fed into the airflow at the com-
bustion chamber inlet. Franz Lippl, who The Clean demonstrator: the key to future environmentally friendly engines.

30 Products + Services 31
 Power packs on
the high seas
By Dr. Philipp Bruhns
B ernd Zander needs a strong stomach and plenty of patience for
the work he does. In his job as a field service engineer for MTU
Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg he travels the world to keep
LM6000 industrial gas turbines (IGTs) in perfect working order, even
out at sea. Early this year, Zander once again set off for an inspec-
tion visit to the wind-swept Schiehallion oil drilling vessel in the
Atlantic Ocean. The three LM6000s on board provide a reliable
power supply for the vessel, and it is Bernd Zander’s responsibility
to ensure that they are properly maintained.
32 Products + Services
The IGT expert from Ludwigsfelde makes
regular visits to the drilling platform in the
Atlantic Ocean. This time, the journey took
nine hours: by car to Berlin, then by plane
via Amsterdam to Aberdeen on the Scottish
coast, and finally by helicopter over the
Orkney and Shetland Isles to his final desti-
nation on the Schiehallion’s landing pad.
The 240-meter-long FPSO (floating produc-
tion, storage and offloading) vessel is
moored in the northwest Atlantic approxi-
mately 175 kilometers to the west of the
Shetland Isles. To keep it firmly in place, the
massive freely rotating drilling rig is tethered
to the seabed around 400 meters below by
means of several anchors. The vessel prop-
er is “built around” this structure. Its design
permits the ship to almost automatically
assume a position facing into the oncoming
North Sea winds like a sail would do. This
makes sure that the loads acting on anchors
remain within tolerable limits even in the
event of gale-force winds and heavy swell.
The almost 100-strong team aboard the drill-
ing rig extracts oil and gas from deposits
below the North Sea for the BP energy com-
pany. The engineering skills required to drill
for oil and gas in this remote offshore loca-
tion never fail to impress Zander each time
he visits the platform. He, too, is a master of
his trade, his job being to carry out regular
inspections of the three LM6000 industrial
gas turbines and repair them when neces-
sary. The power packs provide a reliable,
independent supply of power for the oil plat-
form.
33
Zander spends a lot of time over his routine
visits and is very conscientious about his
work. In this particular case, he spent three
weeks at sea. “Once you have experienced
the kind of extreme weather conditions under
which these people have to work, you realize
how important it is for us to ensure a fail-safe
power supply,” he says. He continues to add:
“The Schiehallion is certainly not the most
comfortable place to work in the world, but
that is precisely what motivates me to give it
my all.” Bernd Zander knows what he is talk-
ing about. He started to work for MTU Mainte-
nance Berlin-Brandenburg back in 2001 and
has clocked up numerous offshore missions
since then. “BP is very happy with the sup-
port and services which MTU Maintenance
has provided over the recent years. The field
service is a very important factor, helping us
to secure energy supply in such remote loca-
tions as the Schiehallion. People like Bernd
Zander and his colleagues take a lot of respon-
sibility and execute their job with a great deal
of dedication,” says Jose Delgado, Rotating
Equipment Engineer for the Schiehallion at
BP Exploration.
MTU’s specialists have been maintaining and
repairing industrial gas turbines for over 25
years, these activities having formed part of
the MTU Maintenance service portfolio al-
most since the time the maintenance arm of
the company was set up. General Electric’s
LM series of industrial gas turbines are aero-
engine derivatives that operate according to
the same technical principle as aircraft en-
gines. The LM6000 has been derived from
the CF6-80C2 engine powering aircraft such
as the Boeing 767 and 747.
The LM6000 is one of the most powerful and
advanced industrial gas turbines of the LM
series. With its output of up to 44 mega-
watts, or as much as 50 megawatts in the
Sprint version, it is the ideal off-grid power
generation solution for the Schiehallion and
also the gas turbine of choice for many other
applications, including marine propulsion. In
addition to its high power output—44 mega-
watts would be enough to provide electricity
for 100,000 private households—the LM6000
boasts a lightweight, compact design like its
aero engine siblings, and high efficiency. It
owes its success also to its exceptional reli-
ability that the manufacturer General Electric
claims to be an impressive 99 percent. 735
copies are currently in operation around the
globe, which in total have accumulated over
16 million operating hours.
34 Products + Services
Approaching the Schiehallion.
Field service engineer Bernd Zander repairing an
LM6000 gas turbine.
The MTU experts have developed customized
maintenance solutions for these industrial
gas turbines to ensure reliable, durable oper-
ation even under the harshest conditions.
And MTU has even gone a step further by
taking on a share in the program. Since the
LM6000 has meanwhile been in service for
almost thirty years, General Electric launched
a comprehensive facelift project and devel-
oped two derivative models, the LM6000-PG
and LM6000-PH. These uprated LM6000 ver-
sions deliver roughly 25 percent more power
while at the same time burning significantly
less fuel and emitting fewer pollutants. Last
year, MTU became a risk- and revenue-shar-
ing partner, acquiring a 13-percent stake each
in the LM6000 and the two new derivative
models.
The Schiehallion drills for oil in the Atlantic.
Thanks to their improved efficiency, the new
models will save the equivalent of 33,000
barrels of oil a year. This in turn reduces
annual carbon-dioxide emissions by 6,500
metric tons, approximately the collective an-
nual emission of 2,500 cars. Such optimiza-
tion has been achieved through improve-
ments in the materials used and through
technological innovations previously demon-
strated on General Electric’s CF6-80E and
GE90 aircraft engines and LMS100 gas tur-
bines. The LM6000-PG will be available in
the first half of 2010, the -PH version a year
later.
Says Uwe Kaltwasser, Director Sales and Cus-
tomer Support for the industrial gas turbine
program at MTU Maintenance Berlin-
Brandenburg: “The improved new versions of
the LM6000 will continue the success story
of this series of gas turbines and no doubt
encourage customers to consider the option
of upgrading their IGT fleets in the interests
of greater fuel efficiency and lower pollu-
tion.” Kaltwasser believes that MTU Mainte-
nance will be able to contribute its long-
standing experience in engine manufacturing
and maintenance to the design of these new
IGTs. The knowledge and skills acquired
through work on the CF6 family will be par-
ticularly valuable. This is nothing new for
MTU, as Kaltwasser explains: “The transfer
of know-how between the aero engine and
industrial gas turbine businesses has been a
key element of MTU’s maintenance philoso-
phy ever since the company started to pro-
vide maintenance services for IGTs in the
early 1980s. This makes MTU a market leader
in terms of technology and quality.”
For additional information, contact
Uwe Kaltwasser
+49 3378 824-250
For interesting multimedia services
associated with this article, go to:
www.mtu.de/109IGT_E
35
 Suspended
between risk
and routine
By Andreas Spaeth

W ithout the courage and expert knowledge demonstrated by test pilots, aviation would
never have come as far as it has. Dieter Thomas and Eckhard Hausser exemplify two gener-
The idea appeared revolutionary and so sim-
ple as to be brilliant. An aerodrome was to
ations of German test pilots who could hardly be more different from one another. Thomas be built on the roof of Munich’s central rail-
was a pioneer in his profession in the mid-1960s and was in the cockpit for many, sometimes way station to enable vertical and short
risky maiden flights between 1964 and 1989. Hausser currently is chief test pilot for Airbus take-off aircraft to offer rapid connections
in Hamburg and faces entirely different challenges these days. to distant metropolises from the very heart
of the city. At the time, back in the mid-
1960s, people still believed unwaveringly in
technological progress and the feasibility of
such gigantic projects. And if Dieter Thomas
had had his way, the project would certainly
not have remained just a vision, albeit com-
plete with colorful drawings. After the war,
the man from Pirmasens was one of the first
in Germany to call himself a test pilot and to
fly vertical take-off aircraft.

36 Report 37

Drury Wood (left) and Dieter Thomas posing in front of a Do 31.
He was fifteen years old when he first flew in
a glider. Later he spent eight years as a flying
instructor with the Bundeswehr. In 1963,
while a student of aeronautical engineering
in Munich, he came into contact with the
German Laboratory for Aviation (DVL) (the
predecessor of today’s DLR German Aero-
space Center) and began working as a tem-
porary test pilot for them. “I was paid five
deutschmarks an hour as a working stu-
dent,” recalls the 72-year-old, smiling. One
of his tasks was to fly a Lockheed T-33,
which served to supervise testing of the Do
31 vertical take-off aircraft in Oberpfaffen-
hofen. The “ten-engined monster”, as Thomas
nowadays refers to the Do 31, was com-
manded by the American Dornier test pilot
Drury Wood, who later persuaded Thomas to
switch allegiance to his own team. As a
result, between 1968 and 1970, he co-piloted
one of the strangest aircraft ever built in
Germany.
The Do 31 was a so-called V/STOL (vertical/
short take-off and landing) aircraft. In other
words, it was capable of taking off under its
own power without a ground run—a funda-
mental prerequisite for those envisaged
takeoffs and landings in the center of a
major city. The aircraft’s design was deter-
mined by the arrangement of the engines:
two Bristol-Siddeley Pegasus 5-2 cruise en-
gines fitted beneath the wings for horizontal
cruising, plus eight Rolls-Royce RB162-4D
lift engines mounted in nacelles under the
wing tips. However, the design was not ma-
ture and the aircraft was awfully loud and dif-
ficult to control especially during the vertical
landing process. The engines produced lots
of hot gas beneath the wings which—when
sucked back in—often led to rapid loss of lift
thrust. “The Do 31 was an experimental pro-
gram and series production was never an
option,” recalls Thomas. “The time was not
ripe.”
“Even though the Do 31 was one of the few
vertical take-off aircraft that never saw a
fatal accident, there was always a residual
risk. The dangers and daring involved back
then were extreme,” says Thomas, who qual-
ified as an experimental test pilot at the
French test pilot school in Istres. “In those
days, we often simply took off to test things
that were too expensive to test in the wind
tunnel. We spent a long time experimenting
with prototypes and fine-tuning them. Now-
adays, all those things are done on comput-
ers. Prototypes don’t tend to be produced
any more, and testing is carried out on the
first production aircraft.” Thomas believes
the dangers and daring have diminished ac-
cordingly.
But Eckhard Hausser, chief test pilot with
Airbus in Hamburg and one of nine in-house
pilots at Finkenwerder, disagrees with him.
“In certain circumstances, the flights we per-
form using production aircraft can entail
higher risks than developmental flying,” says
the 48-year-old. Although Hausser’s title is
actually TPX (Test Pilot Experimental), his pri-
mary function is to carry out maiden flights
of new production aircraft for customers and
acceptance flights: “75 percent of the work
done by today’s test pilots falls into this cat-
egory of so-called production flying.” During
these tests, the aircraft are invariably taking
to the air for the very first time, which means
the pilots may have to deal with potential
production errors that are not always de-
tectable during ground testing. He stresses:
“You always have to be watchful; you must
not develop any sort of routine.”
Eckhard Hausser in the cockpit of an Airbus A320.
“On maiden flights, we will sometimes shut
down one of the engines. These days, we
have accumulated enough experience with
current engines so that we work through
maybe only three out of what might other-
wise be five check-points.” What fascinates
the man from Esslingen about his job is
being able to fly the entire spectrum of
Airbus aircraft, from the A318 to the A380—
something he could not do in his time as LTU
airline pilot.
Compared to the world of possibilities that
presented itself in Dieter Thomas’s time, the
range of flying done by an in-house Airbus
test pilot is rather limited. “There are hardly
any all-rounders like myself left,” says the
pioneer, who took the controls of around 170
different aircraft types in the course of his
professional career. He worked for Dornier
from 1973 to 1989 and, as flight commander,
successfully accomplished the maiden
flights of six different prototypes, including
the 19-seat Do 228 the well-laid-out cockpit
of which he co-developed. “Back then, we
test pilots played a really big part in the qual-
ity and marketing of a product,” says
Thomas, but stresses that the strong devel-
opment team around him contributed a great
deal to the successes he achieved.
He says the highlight of his career was flight
testing of the amphibian Do 24 ATT demon-
strator, which was eventually given a new
lease on life by Iren Dornier. Says Thomas:
“The combination of air and water fascinated
me.” Even the turbulent time he spent in the
cockpit of the hardly manageable Do 31 was
ultimately not in vain. The veteran is delight-
ed that “the Americans are incorporating the
vertical take-off technology of the Do 31 into
the thrust vectoring for their F-35 air superi-
ority fighter.” Sometimes it just takes a little
longer for new ideas to be put into practice.
For additional information, contact
Heidrun Moll
+49 89 1489-3537
For interesting multimedia services
associated with this article, go to:
www.mtu.de/109Testpilot_E
New home for the Do 31
Only two airworthy specimens of the
Do 31 were ever built. The Do 31 E3
that was produced in 1967 is now on
display at the Flugwerft Schleißheim
branch of the Deutsches Museum in
Munich. The second prototype, the Do
31 E1, stood forgotten in Oberpfaf-
fenhofen for many years, before being
restored with the enthusiastic help of
Dieter Thomas. In April this year, the
aircraft was moved to the new Dornier
Museum at Friedrichshafen airport,
which will open doors at the end of
July. With an exhibition floor space of
2,500 square meters, this new muse-
um will document Dornier’s almost
one century-long history and display
other rare prototypes as well as a wide
range of exhibits from the history of
aviation.

If aircraft types and engines are new, this will

generally mean more extensive testing. An
example is the mega-Airbus A380 with its
GP7000 engines, in which MTU has a stake.
Dieter Thomas was involved in the “Alpha Jet” cooperation project as early as in 1970. The Airbus flight test crew in Toulouse in the fall of 2008.

38 Report 39
 5,000th shop visit in Langenhagen
MTU Maintenance Hannover has two good
reasons to celebrate: In the 30th year of
its existence, the company just main-
tained the 5,000th engine visiting its shop.
“The first engine we received came from
Hapag-Lloyd Flug, and almost 30 years
later we’re again celebrating a milestone
overhauling an engine from the same cus-
tomer,” President and Chief Executive
Officer Dr. Uwe Blöcker says with a smile.
The 5,000th engine was a CFM56-7, serial
number 889-765, off the wing of a Boeing
737-800 in service with TUIfly, the brand
name under which former Hapag-Lloyd Flug
operates today. After repair and overhaul,
the engine was returned to its owner in a
small celebration held at the end of April.
Hapag-Lloyd Flug was the first name on the
Langenhagen-based MTU shop’s customer
list.
MTU Aero Engines exceeds forecasts
2008 was a record year for MTU Aero
Engines. “In this anniversary year, I am par-
ticularly delighted to be able to present the
best results MTU has ever achieved in its 75-
year history,” MTU CEO Egon Behle was proud
to report at the company’s annual results
press conference held in Munich in late
March. “The company not only exceeded its
quantitative targets for the year, but also
took strategic measures to secure MTU’s
future viability: In 2008, we took on more
stakes in new programs than in any single
year before.” The company has acquired
workshares in the two Pratt & Whitney geared
turbofan engines to power Bombardier’s
CSeries and Mitsubishi’s new regional jet, in
the PW810 and in two General Electric engine
programs, the GEnx for the Boeing 787
Dreamliner and the GE38 for military heavy-
lift helicopters.
Here are the results in detail: Revenues in-
creased six percent over the year before, to
dollar exchange rate, the increase in rev-
enues even amounted to 12 percent. At
405.7 million euros, EBITDA adjusted im-
proved three percent over 2007, which is
more than MTU’s forecast of 400 million
euros. The net income even increased by 17
percent, to 179.7 million euros, and thus
reached the forecast level. At 123.6 million
euros, the free cash flow clearly exceeded
the expected value of 100 million euros.
MTU’s profitability remained high also in
2008: The return on sales was 14.9 percent,
and thus close to the upper end of the target
range. The group’s good operating results
are mainly attributable to the positive devel-
opment in the OEM business. In this seg-
ment, the success of the company’s efficiency
improvement program and the increase in
commercial OEM orders have compensated
for the effects of the development of U.S.
dollar exchange rate. EBITDA adjusted in the
OEM business increased eight percent, and
the commercial MRO business EBITDA ad-
justed amounted to 78.9 million euros, and
the EBITDA margin stood at 7.1 percent. “As
planned, we have continually improved this
margin in the commercial maintenance busi-
ness and fully met our target for the year of
around seven percent,” explained Chief Fi-
nancial Officer Reiner Winkler. “This proves
that the measures we have taken to align our
production and process are having the
desired effect. Commercial MRO is back on
course again.”
In 2008, MTU spent more than 181 million
euros on research and development. The
company’s capital expenditure almost tripled
as compared with the year before, increasing
to over 293.7 million euros. Major investments
included the setting up of a new location in
Poland, the construction of the second test
cell at MTU Maintenance Hannover, and the
acquisition of additional program stakes.

Award-winning technology On a solid growth track

MTU Maintenance Zhuhai’s annual results
more than 2.7 billion euros. Adjusted for the the EBITDA margin reached 20.1 percent. In

And the winner is: Pratt & Whitney’s geared Robert Saia, Pratt & Whitney Vice President, for 2008 have the distinct ring of an athlete’s MTU Aero Engines – Key financial data 2008 (Figures quoted in € million, calculated on a comparable basis, statements pre-
pared in accordance with IFRS. Figures calculated on a comparative basis
turbofan (GTF). At a ceremony held in Wash- Next Generation Product Family, who ac- track record: In the Olympic year, revenues apply adjustments to the IFRS consolidated results to exclude restructuring
ington, D.C. early in March the PW1000G cepted the award on behalf of the entire were up by 50 percent, earnings increased and transaction costs, capitalized development costs, and the effects of IFRS
demonstrator won the prestigious Laureate 40 percent, the 500th engine was over- purchase accounting.)
Pratt & Whitney PurePower engine team,
Award, which is conferred by trade journal stressed: “We especially thank MTU, whose hauled, and the number of employees rose to MTU Aero Engines 2008 2007 Change
Aviation Week. In the “Aeronautics and Pro- high-speed low-pressure turbine was a key just short of 500. All this has been achieved Revenues 2,724.3 2,575.9 + 5.8 %
pulsion” category, it won over two unmanned contribution to the successful GTF demon- barely five years after the joint venture of of which OEM business 1,642.9 1,599.5 + 2.7 %
air vehicle (UAV) designs—Boeing’s A160T strator. We are very happy to have this very MTU and China Southern Airlines was set up. of which commercial engine business 1,146.3 1,102.0 + 4.0 %
Hummingbird rotorcraft and the solar-pow- important partnership for the development “These are superb results, for which we have of which military engine business 496.6 497.5 - 0.2 %
ered Zephyr developed by British defense steps ahead.” In all, some 40 employees at of which commercial MRO business 1,113.0 1,004.7 + 10.8 %
company QinetiQ. MTU’s development and manufacturing cen- EBITDA (calculated on a comparable basis) 405.7 392.9 + 3.3 %
ters in Germany and the U.S. have con- of which OEM business 330.3 305.7 + 8.0 %
tributed to-wards this success. of which commercial MRO business 78.9 87.9 - 10.2 %
EBITDA margin (calculated on a comparable basis) 14.9 % 15.3 %
in the OEM business 20.1 % 19.1 %
in the commercial MRO business 7.1 % 8.7 %
Net income (IFRS) 179.7 154.1 + 16.6 %
Earnings per share (undiluted) € 3.64 € 2.95 + 23.4 %
Free cash flow 123.6 131.7 - 6.2 %
MTU Maintenance Zhuhai. Research and development expenses 181.6 176.4 + 2.9 %
of which company-funded R&D 101.1 88.8 + 13.9 %
to thank the highly dedicated teams here in of which outside-funded R&D 80.5 87.6 - 8.1 %
Zhuhai,” said Holger Sindemann, President Capital expenditure 293.7 106.1 + 176.8 %
and Chief Executive Officer of MTU’s Chinese Dec. 31, 08 Dec. 31, 07 Change
maintenance facility, an office he has held
since the summer of 2008. Based in the spe- Order backlog 4,015.7 3,311.1 + 21.3 %
cial economic zone of Zhuhai, the shop is of which OEM business 3,884.5 3,216.8 + 20.8 %
MTU’s largest facility outside Germany and of which commercial MRO business 131.4 94.7 + 38.8 %
the largest maintenance provider in the Employees 7,537 7,130 + 5.7 %
The GTF demonstator. Middle Kingdom.

40 In Brief 41
MTU Aero Engines Polska opens shop “Yellow Angels” continue Masthead

Editor
MTU Aero Engines GmbH

to rely on MTU Eckhard Zanger

Senior Vice President Corporate Communications
and Investor Relations

Editor in chief
Heidrun Moll

Address
MTU Aero Engines GmbH
Dachauer Straße 665
80995 Munich • Germany
Tel. +49 89 1489-3537
Fax +49 89 1489-4303
E-mail: heidrun.moll@mtu.de
Internet: www.mtu.de

Editorial staff
Dr. Philipp Bruhns, Denis Dilba, Andrew Doyle,
Dr. Dominik Faust, Achim Figgen, Nicole Geffert,
Patrick Hoeveler, Odilo Mühling, Christiane
Rodenbücher, Andreas Spaeth, Martina Vollmuth

Layout
Manfred Deckert
Sollnerstraße 73
81479 Munich • Germany

Office building of MTU Aero Engines Polska.
MTU’s new affiliate in Poland opened shop
as scheduled. Early in April around 200 em-
ployees started to work at the new facility in
Rzeszów. The official inauguration ceremony,
which followed late in May, was attended by
high-ranking government officials from
Warsaw, many prominent figures from the
local political, business and religious com-
munities, media representatives, and MTU
representatives from Munich.
Aligning turbine stator vanes.
MTU Aero Engines Polska will develop and
manufacture low-pressure turbine airfoils,
assemble low-pressure turbine modules and
repair parts using highly advance machinery
and the innovative and sophisticated repair
processes for which MTU is renowned world-
wide. The company’s Chief Executive Officer
is Krzysztof Zuzak.
Installation of blades in a turbine disk.
MTU wins
business award
Late last year, MTU was honored with
one of the most prestigious Polish busi-
ness awards for investors. In a cere-
mony held in Warsaw Germany’s lead-
ing engine manufacturer received the
prize for the most significant invest-
ment made by a company in the high-
tech area in Poland in 2008. Polish
Vice Prime Minister and Minister of
the Economy Waldemar Pawlak con-
gratulated MTU’s overall Project Man-
ager Richard Maier and MTU Aero
Engines Polska Chief Executive Officer
Krzysztof Zuzak on this recognition.
The award, which is conferred every
year by the Polish agency for informa-
tion and foreign investment, was pre-
sented by Polish Deputy Minister of
Science and Higher Education Witold
Jurek.
During a mission: EC135 Christoph 31 above the Berlin Cathedral.
ADAC’s air rescue unit continues to rely on
the services of Ludwigsfelde-based Cus-
tomer Service Centre Europe (CSC): The
“Yellow Angels” will have the PW206 en-
gines powering their Eurocopter EC135 heli-
copter fleet maintained by the joint venture
of MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg and
Pratt & Whitney Canada for another 16 years.
In all, the ADAC’s air rescue unit operates 19
rescue helicopters of this type, which are
often deployed in barely accessible and dusty
terrains.
Final assembly of a PW200 engine following repair.
Photo credits
Cover Page: Thomas Merkl
Pages 2–3 Berliner Flughäfen; MTU Aero
Engines photo archive; Boeing;
Copyright Sikorsky Aircraft
Corporation. All rights reserved;
Dieter Thomas
Pages 4–13 Berliner Flughäfen; MTU Aero
Engines photo archive;
Andrew Doyle; Air France
Pages 14–17 Boeing; GE - Aviation; BMW Group
Archives
Pages 18–19 Schlosser Forge Company, Rancho
Cucamonga, U.S.A.
Pages 20–23 Bundeswehr/Sandra Herholt;
GE - Aviation; Copyright Sikorsky
Aircraft Corporation. All rights
reserved; United States Navy;
Boeing
Pages 24–25 Bombardier; MTU Aero Engines
photo archive
Pages 26–27 MTU Aero Engines photo archive;
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
Pages 28–31 MTU Aero Engines photo archive;
Institute of Aircraft Propulsion
Systems, Stuttgart University
Pages 32–35 Sigurd Vermundsen; MTU Aero
Engines photo archive
Pages 33–39 Dieter Thomas; photographer Peter
Burgeff, ai-design; Airbus; Dornier
Museum
Pages 40–43 ADAC Verlag GmbH; MTU Aero
Engines photo archive; TUIfly
Printed by
Graphische Betriebe Eberl GmbH
Kirchplatz 6
87509 Immenstadt • Germany
Contributions credited to authors do not neces-
sarily reflect the opinion of the editors. We will
not be held responsible for unsolicited material.
Reprinting of contributions is subject to the
editors’ approval.

42 In Brief 43