Aviation News

Nasa Awards Two General Aviation Propulsion Cooperative Agreements Contract

Cleveland, Ohio NASA's Lewis Research Center has awarded two cooperative agreements in support of the Agency's General Aviation Propulsion (GAP) program.

Williams International, Walled Lake, MI, was selected for negotiation of a $37 million cooperative agreement to develop a turbine engine. Under this four-year agreement, the company will develop and flight demonstrate break-through, low-cost turbine engine propulsion systems. The turbine engine concepts are for light general aviation aircraft with six seats or less and cruising airspeeds greater than 200 knots. The work will be conducted at their facilities in Walled Lake as well as at Lewis, NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, and NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA.

The major goal of the Williams International agreement is to develop technologies and manufacturing processes for low-cost, environmentally compliant, innovative turbine engine propulsion systems.

Teledyne Continental Motors, Mobile, AL, was selected for negotiation of a $9.5 million cooperative agreement to develop an Intermittent Combustion Engine.

Under this three year agreement, the company will develop and flight demonstrate affordable, lightweight, innovative Intermittent Combustion (IC) propulsion systems. The IC concepts are for entry-level general aviation aircraft with single engines, four seats and cruising airspeed of less than 200 knots. The work will be conducted at their facilities in Mobile and at Lewis.

The major goal of the Teledyne Continental Motors agreement is to develop technologies and manufacturing processes that reduce engine prices by one half while substantially improving reliability, maintainability as well as meeting future emission and noise requirements.

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	Did You Know?
	Commercial pilots must be at least 18 years old and have a minimum of 250 hours of flight time 190 hours under Part 141, including 100 hours in powered aircraft, 50 hours in airplanes, 100 hours as pilot in command (of which 50 hours must be cross-country flight time). They must hold an instrument rating (or be restricted to flying for hire only in daylight, under visual flight rules, within 50 miles of the originating airport). They may fly for hire in accordance with applicable parts of the Federal Aviation Regulations.