The development of the 12,500–15,600-kgf PD-14 new-generation turbofan engine - the first one in the advanced 9-18 tonne engine family being developed by a large team of United Engine Corporation's subsidiaries led by Aviadvigatel JSC - is the mainstay of the UEC commercial aircraft engine programme. The PD-14 is a two-shaft separate-flow engine with the gearless fan drive. All engines of the family have a common core with the eight-stage high-pressure compressor, low-emission annular combustor and two-stage high-pressure compressor. The baseline PD-14 will be equipped with a 1,900-mm single-stage fan retaining the diameter of the fan used in the PS-90A engine, a three-stage low-pressure compressor and a six-stage low-pressure turbine.

The baseline 14,000-kgf PD-14 is designed to power the Irkut MC-21-300 short/medium-haul airliner. The shortened version of the airliner, the MC-21-200, is supposed to be fitted with 12,500-kgf PD-14A engines, while the possible stretch version (MC-21-400) as well as the prospective Russian/Indian medium Multirole Transport Aircraft (MTA) are to be powered with the enhanced-thrust PD-14M version capable of 15,600 kgf. According to the design data, the PD-14 is on a par with its foreign rivals (PW1400G, LEAP-X) in terms of specific fuel consumption, while having a somewhat lower bypass ratio.

The first four PD-14 prototype engines were made by Aviadvigatel JSC. As is known, the first burn of engine demonstrator (No.100-01) took place in June 2012. the second PD-14 (No.100-03) commenced its bench tests in January 2014 and the third one (No.100-04) in October 2014. The tests of PD-14 No. 100-05 began in December 2014. Now is the time for the core engine-equipped PD-14 assembled by the Perm Engine Company.

The PD-14 is being developed and produced in cooperation of a large group of the United Engine Corporation subsidiaries, such as the Perm Engine Company, Aviadvigatel, STAR, UMPO, NPO Saturn, , Metallist-Samara, Salut just to name a few. For instance, the titanium-alloy intermediate case and high-pressure compressor rotor for the core of the engine No.100-06 were delivered to Perm by UMPO, while the centre drive by Salut. The Perm Engine Company manufactured the stator segment of the high-pressure compressor, combustor and high-pressure turbine.

The first PD-14 assembled by Perm Engine Company is designed for testing under the wing of the Il-76LL flying testbed at the Gromov Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky. Last December, Aviadvigatel Designer General Alexander Inozemtsev said that the flight trials of PD-14 No.100-07 on the Il-76LL flying testbed were slated for June 2015.

The next Perm-made engine (No.100-08) is planned for handover to the TsIAM research institute in April 2015 for thermal vacuum chamber tests. According to Alexander Inozemtsev, a total of five PD-14 prototype engines are to be made this year, while the whole of engine prototype batch will comprise 22 units.

Aviadvigatel expects to obtain the type certificate from the Interstate Aviation Committee Aviation Register for the PD-14 as soon as 2017. An MC-21 prototype powered by a pair of PD-14s is to start flying late in the same year.

(Photo: Aviadvigatel JSC)