IIRC the FLA ( Future Large Aircraft) c.1982 was originally envisaged as going to be a turbofan.
Then there was the love affair with " unducted fans" etc. in the mid 80's. The turbofan idea got downgraded on FLA as it evolved ( to fund "civil" UDF production ?) . I remember the horrific noise of the DC-9(?) UDF flying test bed at Farnborough in '86 followed by a general loss of interest in UDFs for the civil market . Apart from the (abortive) An 70, has this type of engine/Propfan propulsor had any other potential applications ?
Last edited by Haraka; 11th May 2016 at 20:10.