An interesting view not shared by either Airbus or Boeing.
Boeing has been collaboratively testing this engine with RR but remains very unconvinced of its future.
Boeing has three potential engines at its disposal for its new narrowbody including the current next-generation offerings from CFM and Pratt & Whitney, as well as the Rolls-Royce 133-445kN (30,000-100,000lb) thrust Advance3 future three-shaft Trent powerplant, which is currently in development and slated for a 2017 or 2018 entry into service.
Boeing boss green-lights all-new next generation narrowbody
Open Rotors: Based on our conversations with engineers and Boeing, we remain highly skeptical of open-rotors. Noise, maintenance, safety, size, weight, dimension of the rotor, application and speed all seem to work against this engine type and nobody we know suggests any different.
Even Leahy says the open-rotor Airbus believes in won’t likely be the open-rotor as we know it today. One concept is a shrouded open-rotor (isn’t that essentially the ducted fan?), which to us seems to add more weight and issues than problems it solves.
Furthermore, both PW and CFM believe that their new engines will, by 2025, have sufficient gains in fuel burn (typically 1% per year) that consumption will pretty well match that promised by open-rotors without the challenges.
2011 Outlook for Aerospace « Leeham News and Comment
And RR says it won’t be ready till at least 2020.
Lastly, if cleansheet 737 and A320 replacements slip beyond 2022, Rolls believes an Open Rotor design with gas turbine powered contra-rotating propellors becomes a viable option for the 20,000-35,000lb thrust range likely not available before 2025. Horwood is quick to admit that there are many open questions about the technology which could deliver a 30% improvement in fuel consumption and CO2.
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