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Technology update
TPI Turboprop
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Planned A400M
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Snecma of France, MTU of Germany, FiatAvio of Italy, and ITP of Spain have formed TPI Turboprop International to offer the M138 high-speed turboprop for the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft. TPI Turboprop International is registered in Munich with a liaison office in Toulouse. Techspace Aero of Belgium is an associate partner. The M138 is on the short list of possible engines for the aircraft.
The high-pressure core of the M138 is derived from Snecma's M88 engine, a version of which powers the French Rafale fighter. The other three companies involved with M138 contribute to technology for the EJ200 engine of the Eurofighter Typhoon. MTU and FiatAvio also have experience with the Advanced Ducted Propfan (ADP) demonstrator program. The M138 is very powerful, developing 14,000 shp. Growth flexibility of the engine is put at "more than 40%."
The A400M project involves the development of a four-engine European heavy military transport aircraft as a potential successor to the C160 Transall and
C-130 Hercules. Payload is scheduled to be 20 tons over a 7200 km range.
Stuart Birch
Aerospace Engineering October 2000
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