keesje

A nice summary on aviationweek.com on the ongoing studies for A320/737 successors.

Airbus Refines A30X Design | AVIATION WEEK

Engine choices and related aircraft configuration / EIS timelines seems still to be the open questions. Or EIS as driver for possible engine technology. A chicken or egg debate.

I think the airframers won't let even an economic downturn distract them from getting a good starting position in this x000 aircraft replacement segment.

To be or not to be committing to an open rotor engine seems to be the question.



To be or not to be, that is the question;
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles

Source: William Shakespeare's Hamlet

TheCosmicFrog

The aviation enthusiast side of me REALLY likes those LeapX open-rotors, as does the nerdy side!

keesje

Yes its . It think LeapX is something CFM is working on, a bit more conventional. However Safran, GE as well as RR are looking at open rotors. RR more on puller like open rotors.

For othet techies / nerds: you can recognize an old / fake open rotor picture by counting the blades. Not having the front and aft rotors have the same number was a lesson learned in the late eighties; resonance & a lot of irritating noise.

On the newest open rotor studies I've seen the front and aft rotor blades even do not have the same lenght / shapes..